Capnography Variation in the UK

The CApnography VAriation (CAVA) study is a nationwide survey of capnography traces used in airway management in NHS hospitals.

Unrecognised oesophageal intubation remains an challenge in anaesthesia. In an attempt to reduce the risks, the Safe Anaesthesia Liaison Group (SALG) have considered the role of human – computer interaction focusing on the graphical user interface (GUI) of waveform capnography. They recommend that the capnograph waveform should be a white area graph at the bottom of a display where possible. A pilot study in the South East Scotland School of Anaesthesia identified eight different traces in use and only 23% of monitors were compliant with the SALG standard.