Ventilation failure as a result of internal battery leakage in an Ulco Ev500 ventilator.

摘要

The provision of adequate ventilation is crucial to the safe conduct of anaesthesia. We present a case of partial ventilator failure due to the destruction of ventilator components as a result of leakage of acid from the ventilator's internal battery. A 53-year-old man with a recent history of myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock was anaesthetised for the insertion of an automatic implanted cardioverter defibrillator. Following induction and paralysis, he was intubated and intermittent positive pressure was maintained on an Ulco EV500 ventilator (Ulco Medical, Marrickville NSW) with a tidal volume of 500 ml and a peak inspiratory pressure of 18 cmH_2O.