Tidal Volume Threshold for Colorimetric Detection of CO₂ in Neonates

Neonatal resuscitation guidelines recommend increasing heart rate and exhaled CO₂ detection as the primary methods for confirmation of endotracheal tube (ETT) placement. The two colorimetric CO₂ detectors (Mini StatCO₂ and Pedi-Cap) that are currently available in the U.S. for use in infants and children are recommended for use in patients who weigh between 1 and 15 kg; the weight recommendation is based on the minimum tidal volume that is required to produce a clinically recognizable color change. However, clinical experience has shown that these devices can detect color change even in smaller, viable preterm infants (>400 g) with adequate perfusion.

To confirm this clinical observation, researchers used an artificial lung model to determin…