Ventilation Difficulty Caused by Obstructed Heated Breathing Circuit

Abstract

For perioperative hypothermia prevention, a heated, humidified breathing circuit equipped with a fluid-warming unit inside the inspiratory limb has been developed. We report a ventilation difficulty caused by an obstructed heated breathing circuit. Cotton surrounding the hot wire, temperature sensor, and fluid tubing in the distal inspiratory limb was irregularly thicker than that of a normal circuit and nearly blocked the lumen. Despite carrying out routine checks on the anesthesia workstation preoperatively, we failed to make a prediagnosis by omitting the flow test after changing the circuit. This case puts emphasis on a routine flow test with a meticulous examination of the heated breathing circuit before every procedure.