Anesthesia Technician Practice Exam

What is NOT an indication of exhausted CO2 absorbent?

1. Prolonged inspiration time

2. Moisture in the circuit

3. Increased airway pressure

4. Change in color of the absorbent

The correct answer is: Moisture in the circuit

Moisture in the circuit is not an indication of exhausted CO2 absorbent. The primary function of CO2 absorbent is to capture carbon dioxide from the exhaled gases during anesthesia. When the absorbent is functioning correctly and is not exhausted, it should effectively remove CO2, leading to consistent ventilation and maintaining appropriate levels of carbon dioxide in the circuit. The other options are clearly linked to the performance of CO2 absorbent. Prolonged inspiration time can indicate that the absorbent is no longer able to keep up with the exhaled CO2, causing a buildup that might necessitate longer times for ventilatory efforts. Increased airway pressure often signifies that the absorbent is saturated, creating resistance to gas flow, which can affect ventilation delivery. A change in color of the absorbent is a direct indicator of its saturation; most absorbents are designed to change color when they have absorbed a specified amount of CO2, alerting clinicians to replace them. In contrast, moisture in the circuit represents issues with humidity or condensation and does not inherently provide information about the CO2 absorbent’s functionality or its saturation status.