MicroCapStar

Presentation

CO2 monitoring is widely recognized as an important measure of the respiratory status of experimental animals. It is useful in setting ventilator parameters, and serves to gauge depth of anesthesia in unassisted, spontaneously breathing animals as well. The MicroCapStar extends this important technique to the realm of small experimental animals.

Operating principle

The MicroCapStar End-Tidal Carbon Dioxide Analyzer provides accurate end-tidal or continuous measurement of expired CO2 in animals as small as mice. It features very low sample flow requirements, rapid response time, and long-term stability. Respiratory rate (RR) is computed using the excursions of the CO2 waveform. The CO2 and RR measurements, as well as a trend plot of the end-tidal values, are displayed on the graphics LCD screen.

The heart of the MicroCapStar is a new temperature-controlled infrared CO2 sensor with digital output. Low sample flow and rapid response is achieved with a carrier gas system employing digitally-controlled active flow management. This technique precisely and automatically maintains the ratio of carrier flow to sample flow, which is essential for accurate measurements. The heated measurement cell prevents water condensation, even during long-term measurement sessions. The standard sample tubing set is 1m long, but lengths of up to 2.5m are possible.

Display panel

The front-panel display (see illustration) shows CO2 concentration (either instantaneous or ETCO2) in either percent or mmHg, and a 5-minute trend plot of ETCO2. Calibration is performed with a single calibration gas and room air. An adjustable ETCO2 alarm provides a warning when end-tidal values fall out of a user-adjustable preset range. All adjustments are performed digitally using a single knob. Built-in diagnostics monitoring warn of plugged sample tubing or other fault conditions.

Other products, options and accessories

The advanced features, reliability, and ease of operation of the MicroCapStar make it the perfect companion to our SAR-830 series Small Animal Ventilators for monitoring respiratory status. With the AVS-1 Advanced Ventilator System, it can be used to control end-tidal CO2. An accessory pack containing spare low-volume sample tubing and a variety of connectors and fittings is included with the instrument. A range of accessories is available to ensure easy setup and convenient operation. Windows-based monitoring software is included, which allows display of the measurements, and saving the data to a disk file.

Standard Features • End-tidal peak or continuous readings • Low sample flow requirements • Accurate and stable monitoring • Simple and easy one-gas calibration • Linear output signal for recording

Applications • Suitable for mice and other small animals • Respiratory monitoring • Use with ventilated or unassisted animals • Verifies proper ventilator operation • CO2 control using AVS-1 Ventilator