Design and Experiment of a Micro Electronic System for Prediction of Alveolar-Gas Partial Pressures

Abstract

In this study we have designed and fabricated an inexpensive micro electronic system that we call Alvitek. It can indirectly but accurately predict and display the partial pressures of alveolar oxygen and carbon dioxide for the patients in the ICU of a hospital. Alvitek consists of both hardware part and software part. Performance of the system is tested by animal experiment with pigs for various Fte2 and RR(Respiratory Rate) values under the mechanical ventilation. The predicted alveolar gas partial pressures are cprpared with the approximate alveolar oxygen partial pressures easily calculated by the physician’s bedside formula. As a result, we have concluded that the relative error of A-aDe2 calculated by the bedside formula grows seriously for lower Fte2 values. The present prediction method of Alvitek is henceforth believed very meaningful to the physicians. The system hardware and software are described in the text.