Optiflow preoxygenation in pregnancy.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A study of lung oxygenation during preoxygenation with Optiflow in term pregnant women.
IRAS ID
224659
Contact name
Patrick Butler
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospital Southampton
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 3 months, 0 days
Research summary
We aim to show whether or not the use of the Optiflow system (which provides nasal humidified 100% oxygen at a flow rate 45 litres/minute) can be used to increase the end tidal oxygen in the lungs to a fraction of 85% (preoxygenation) and would therefore suitable for the purpose of preoxygenation if general anaesthesia was needed for caearean section. The study group will be healthy pregnant women at term who are not in labour.
The study protocol has been tested in a pilot study on non pregnant volunteers and shown to give reproducible and easily generated results. All subjects in that study were able to participate without problems.
Potential participants will be approached by the anaesthetic team responsible for their routine care prior to coming in on the day of surgery. On the day of surgery, if willing, the subjects will meet the researcher to further discuss the project and gain written consent.
During the study each subject will lie supine with a 15 degree left tilt, which is the position that they might normally be asked to adopt for a general anaesthetic. With the Optiflow system in place they will be asked to breathe normally via their nose with a closed mouth for 3 minutes. They will receive 45 l/min humidified oxygen via the nasal prongs of the device. At 3 minutes they will be asked to stop breathing after a normal breath in. The Optiflow oxygen will be turned off and they will be asked to breathe out and then continue breathing normally via their mouth through an anaesthetic filter device which has a side sampling gas detection line attached.
The expired oxygen fraction will be measured - this corresponds to the alveolar gas content and will show if the process has been successful in raising the value to 85%.REC name
East Midlands - Nottingham 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
17/EM/0242
Date of REC Opinion
7 Jul 2017
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion