Vapor-Clean Filters for MH Cases

The Vapor-Clean filter canisters contain granules of medical grade activated charcoal.  Volatile anesthetic vapor molecules are captured and held by the activated charcoal granules.

No.  The Vapor-Clean is a single patient use device.  A new set of Vapor-Clean filters should be used for each patient.  At the conclusion of the anesthetic procedure, the Vapor-Clean filters should be discarded.

Yes. Installation of the Vapor-Clean intra-operatively removes residual anesthetic vapors emitted by the anesthesia gas machine as well as vapors emitted by the patient.  Placement of the Vapor-Clean at any time ensures that no vapor will be inhaled by the patient.

Yes.  The Vapor-Clean has been tested and proven effective at removing >99% of isoflurane, sevoflurane and desflurane.

The shelf life is a guaranteed minimum of two years.

Tests showed that the concentration of vapor was less than 5 parts per million in less than 2 minutes.

The primary reason for including two filters is to increase anesthetic gas removal in the intra-operative application.  Additionally, the dual filter prevents inhalation of vapor in case one of the anesthesia machine’s non-rebreathing valves fails.  An additional safety reason for the dual filter configuration is to minimize the possibility of inadvertent placement of a single charcoal filter  on only the expiration hose port.

Yes.  The Vapor-Clean has been cleared by FDA for removal of unwanted anesthetic vapors.  The 510(k) clearance number is K092031.

No.  The Vapor-Clean was not tested on actual MH susceptible patients.  However, it has been demonstrated effective at removing >99% of anesthetic vapors in rigorous bench testing, and has been used successfully on many MH-susceptible patients worldwide since its introduction.

Published studies show that the newer Draeger anesthesia gas machines (Primus, Apollo, Fabius) and GE-Ohmeda (Aestiva) require 50-75 minutes of continuous gas flush at 10 L/min before residual vapor concentrations are less than the save level of 5 parts per million.  It is likely that other new machines that contain plastic parts require similar preparation times.

Plastic parts (valves, tubing, bellows, etc.) within the anesthesia gas machine absorb anesthetic vapor.  These absorbed gases are then slowly released when the machine is used for a new patient during a subsequent anesthetic procedure.

No.  The Vapor-Clean only clears the anesthesia machine of trace anesthetic agents that can trigger MH.  Dantrolene is still required to treat the disease process of MH.