Key result
Failure of an oxygen concentrator and auxiliary oxygen supply led to severe intraoperative hypoxaemia (PaO2 4.12 kPa) in a horse undergoing exploratory laparotomy.
Case Report (n=1)
A thorough preanaesthetic equipment check, including FiO2, is essential to prevent potentially disastrous hypoxaemia from oxygen supply failure.
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Equipment failure can cause severe equine hypoxaemia; single case leaves open whether routine preanaesthetic checks prevent such events.
A horse with acute colic underwent exploratory laparotomy. Following anaesthetic induction, the inspired fraction of oxygen (FiO 2 ) was found to be 0.23 and severe hypoxaemia (PaO 2 : 4.12 kPa [30.9 mmHg]) was detected. The terminal oxygen outlet was delivering mostly pressurised room air due to a mechanical fault within the oxygen concentrator, with subsequent failure of the auxiliary oxygen manifold. The oxygen supply in the operating room was switched to a cylinder (FiO 2 : 0.95) but PaO 2 increased to only 12.3 kPa [92.3 mmHg], indicating probable ventilation/perfusion mismatch. Anaesthetic recovery was uneventful, but signs of abdominal pain returned four days later. A second laparotomy revealed perforation of the jejunum and generalised peritonitis, and the horse was euthanased. Failure of both an oxygen concentrator and the backup supply is rare but potentially disastrous. A thorough preanaesthetic equipment check, including the FiO 2 , and detailed knowledge of all equipment components are essential for the anaesthetist.
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Kropf et al. (2018) conducted a case report in Acute colic and severe intraoperative hypoxaemia (n=1). Failure of oxygen concentrator and auxiliary oxygen supply was evaluated on Severe hypoxaemia (PaO2). Failure of an oxygen concentrator and auxiliary oxygen supply led to severe intraoperative hypoxaemia (PaO2 4.12 kPa) in a horse undergoing exploratory laparotomy.
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