Abstract
AIM: The aim of this review is to give an overview of available data on end-tidal CO(2) (etCO(2) ) monitoring, also called capnometry, during neonatal transport. METHODS: Pubmed/MEDLINE database was searched using research question (capno* OR etCO2 OR detCO2 OR (("end tidal" OR "end-tidal") AND (CO2 OR "carbon dioxide"))) AND (neonat* OR infant* OR newborn*) AND transport*.
All papers relevant to the topic were reviewed and summarised. RESULTS: The lack of studies relevant to neonatal transport prompted us to extend the search to capnometry in a neonatal intensive care setting.
The published studies are showing conflicting results. The different study populations, technologies used to measure etCO(2) , types of etCO(2) sampling, and the diverse sites of blood gas tests make the data unsuitable for systematic comparison.
CONCLUSION: Further research to obtain more data on capnometry during neonatal transport will be necessary to define precisely under what circumstances can end-tidal monitoring of CO(2) be reliably used in neonates during transport and also how to interpret the measured values.