ACCURACY
VF8 DELTA/DELTA XL/KAPPA 15-3
Accuracy
To optimize cardiac output measurement:
Follow the recommendations made by the manufacturer. Dräger recommends
you place the prefilled syringes or the closed injectate delivery system into an
ice bath.
Check the ice bath regularly and add ice as needed to maintain a temperature
between 0 C and 5 C. Dräger recommends cold (refrigerated) saline
solution.
Verify the injectate volume.
Verify the computation constant. An incorrect computation constant is a
common cause of error.
Use an in-line injectate system. Systems that measure the temperature of the
injectate in the ice bath may introduce error, since the injectate temperature
changes in the time between its removal from the ice bath and injection. Use
an in-line temperature sensor to eliminate this source of error.
If you hand-fill your syringes, fill them with the same volume each time. The
recommended amount is 10cc for adults and 5cc for pediatric patients. Avoid
touching the body of the syringe. The warmth of your hand will warm the
injectate very quickly.
Inject the entire volume in one swift, continuous motion.
Perform the injection at end-expiration. Taking successive cardiac output
measurements at different points in the respiratory cycle can give different
measurements, especially for patients on mechanical ventilators.
Discard results that are widely different from the general trend, and those
associated with irregularly-shaped (for example, notched) curves.
NOTE: If you use a room temperature injectate, use 10 cc for the injectate volume,
unless clinically contraindicated. However, measurements are more reliable when using
cold (refrigerated) saline solutions.
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