A compound that may be toxic to the kidneys may be generated when the anesthetic gas __ passes through a soda lime canister.

A compound that may be toxic to the kidneys may be generated when the anesthetic gas __ passes through a soda lime canister.

• A. isoflurane
• B. sevoflurane
• C. nitrous oxide
• D. diethyl ether

Answer: (B)

When a volatile anesthetic passes through the CO2 absorbent in a circle system, it can react with the soda lime and degrade into byproducts. Sevoflurane is known to degrade to a compound called Compound A in this environment, especially if the absorbent is old or desiccated and the system runs at high temperature or with low fresh gas flow. Compound A has shown nephrotoxic effects in animal studies, so sevoflurane is the one linked to this potential kidney toxicity when exposed to soda lime. The other gases don’t form Compound A in the same way under typical operating conditions, so they’re not associated with this specific nephrotoxic risk. This is why clinicians monitor the CO2 absorber condition and avoid prolonged very-low fresh gas flows with sevoflurane to minimize exposure to any degraded byproducts.

When a volatile anesthetic passes through the CO2 absorbent in a circle system, it can react with the soda lime and degrade into byproducts. Sevoflurane is known to degrade to a compound called Compound A in this environment, especially if the absorbent is old or desiccated and the system runs at high temperature or with low fresh gas flow. Compound A has shown nephrotoxic effects in animal studies, so sevoflurane is the one linked to this potential kidney toxicity when exposed to soda lime.

The other gases don’t form Compound A in the same way under typical operating conditions, so they’re not associated with this specific nephrotoxic risk. This is why clinicians monitor the CO2 absorber condition and avoid prolonged very-low fresh gas flows with sevoflurane to minimize exposure to any degraded byproducts.