Clinical Research Directory

Trending Ability of End-Tidal Capnography to Reflect Arterial Carbon Dioxide Changes in One-Lung Ventilation

In this study, we want to find out if measuring carbon dioxide from a patient's breath (end-tidal CO₂ or ETCO₂) can reliably reflect changes in blood carbon dioxide levels (arterial CO₂ or PaCO₂) during lung surgery. Instead of just looking at individual values, we are specifically investigating whether ETCO₂ and PaCO₂ rise and fall in the same direction over time. During lung surgery, patients often need "one-lung ventilation," where only one lung is used for breathing while the other is deflated to help the surgeon. This can cause carbon dioxide levels in the blood to change, which are typically monitored by taking blood samples. If ETCO₂ trends closely follow PaCO₂ trends, doctors may not need to take as many blood samples. Patients in this study will already have a small tube in an artery for monitoring blood pressure. Whenever a blood test is taken, we will compare the blood CO₂ level with the ETCO₂ reading at that moment. We will also track heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. By comparing these measurements, we hope to learn whether ETCO₂ reliably follows the same trends as PaCO₂, making it a useful tool for monitoring carbon dioxide levels in lung surgery with fewer blood tests.