Circulation 107,515 • Volume 27, No. 2 • Fall 2012   Issue PDF

Veterinarian Has Similar Experience With Blocked Coaxial Circuit

Jane Quandt, DVM, MS

Letter to the Editor

I am an affiliate member of the ASA. I am a veterinarian boarded in veterinary anesthesia and veterinary emergency and critical care. It was with interest that I read the letter to the editor in the Spring/Summer 2012 APSF Newsletter regarding the kinked inspiratory limb of the coaxial circuit. I had a similar experience with a case involving a coaxial system in a dog. I felt I had seen figure 4 before as it was eerily similar to figure 3 in my case report (JAMA 2005; 227:1902-4). The system used in the dog also passed the pre-anesthesia pressure check and had been used on more than one patient prior to the discovery of the occlusion. This too was a partial occlusion that was not immediately apparent. The occlusion was detected in my case by the exaggerated abdominal efforts the dog made during spontaneous ventilation. Anesthesiologists share common anesthesia problems regardless of the species they are caring for.

I appreciate being an affiliate member of the ASA. It is an educational and worthwhile experience.

Jane Quandt, DVM, MS
College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Georgia,
Athens, GA