The Penlon Oxford ventilator. A new ventilator for adult or paediatric use.

A pneumatically powered lung ventilator for anaesthesia and intensive care of both adult and paediatric patients is described. The design criteria were selected to produce a small machine with high power, simple to control, sterilise and service. Laboratory and clinical results are presented andprocedure for clinical use of the controls suggested.

Observation of ferroelectric 180° domains by microphotometry of holographic gratings.

A new holographic observation technique for 180° domains is demonstrated with a cerium-doped strontium barium niobate sample containing two antiparallel ferroelectric domains. The method relies on the fact that the phase shift of holographically written refractive-index gratings is +π/2 or -π/2 with respect to the initial light interference pattern depending on the orientation of the domains. As a consequence, readout of these gratings creates at the exit face of the sample new interference patterns shifted by 0 or π with respect to the initial one. These patterns, providing an image of the domain structure, are observed by microscope.

Nitrous oxide solubility in halothane and its effect on the output of vaporizers.

The absorption of nitrous oxide in halothane was studied by bubbling nitrous oxide and nitrous oxide/oxygen gas mixtures through a halothane bottle, using 100% oxygen as a control. The gas volume emerging from the halothane bottle was measured each minute, over a period of up to 15 minutes. When oxygen was used as a control gas, the averaged flow rate dropped slightly over the experimental period, due to the cooling of the halothane. However, in the presence of nitrous oxide, the initial flow rate of the gas emerging from the halothane bottle was greatly diminished, but then accelerated rapidly to reach that obtained with oxygen. The results suggested that nitrous oxide dissolved in large quantities in halothane, and the data are consistent with an Ostwald coefficient in excess of 4.0.

A microprocessor-controlled gas mixing device.

This paper describes the use of solenoid valves for the production of binary gas mixtures. The system is controlled by a microprocessor and is capable of delivering accurate flows and concentrations of gases over the ranges commonly used in anaesthesia. Since the flow produced by the valves is pulsatile, a system for mixing the gases and smoothing the pulses is described. A back pressure regulator is fitted downstream of each of two mixing/damping chambers and a method of using this as a flow transducer is described. The advantages of this system over conventional rotameters are discussed.

A microprocessor-controlled anaesthetic vaporizer.

A microprocessor-controlled anaesthetic vaporizer is described. Fresh gas is mixed in the correct proportions using two pulsed solenoid valves and a proportion of this passes through a third pulsed solenoid valve and is bubbled through liquid halothane. The temperature of the liquid agent is measured and the pulse frequency is modified to give the correct vapour concentration for the set flow rate and measured temperature. Initially, the vapour was produced by bubbling fresh gas through the agent in a conventional halothane bottle. However, because of the large liquid volume available, nitrous oxide was found to dissolve in large quantities in the halothane. A small volume vaporizer which was continually replenished from a reservoir was designed. Measurements of the vapour concentrations emerging from such a vaporizer were made and were found to agree with the set values +/- 0.1% v/v.

A new microprocessor-controlled anaesthetic machine.

This paper describes the development of a microprocessor controlled anaesthetic machine comprising an integrated anaesthetic apparatus and monitoring system. Following prolonged reliability trials in the laboratory, changes have been made to major components which were described in earlier publications.

An automated interferometer for the analysis of anaesthetic gas mixtures.

A microprocessor-controlled interferometer is described. The eyepiece of a conventional Jamin type interferometer has been replaced by an array of photocells which records the intensity across the interference pattern. Mathematical correlation procedures are used to locate the principal interference pattern maximum and, by sequential analysis of a fresh gas mixture followed by fresh gas plus vapour, it is possible to determine both oxygen and vapour concentrations. The instrument was used to analyse mixtures of oxygen and nitrous oxide and also oxygen, nitrous oxide plus halothane. It was found that the oxygen concentration could be determined to an accuracy of +/- 1% v/v and the vapour concentration to +/- 0.1% v/v. The instrument is suitable for monitoring concentrations delivered by an anaesthetic machine and may be included in a microprocessor-controlled anaesthetic machine.