Trial to usability and relevance of propofol ion mobility spectrometry in clinical settings

• Applicant: Dr. Dominik Lorenz
• Subject Area: Anaesthesiology
• Term: Funded in 2016
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 319580810

One disadvantage of the intravenous anaesthetic propofol compared to the volatile is based on the missing possibility to measure its concentration online. Consequently, its application is limited in connection with the total-intravenous anaesthesia in daily clinical practice. Just like volatile anaesthetics, propofol can however be exhaled by the lungs and can be measured in a parts-per-billion range. The multi-capillary column supported ion mobility spectrometry (MCC-IMS) is suitable as a convenient, mobile versatile procedure of propofol detection and quantification in exhaled breath. It is applicable at the bedside, i.e. in surgery or in an ICU, operates at ambient pressure, has a very low detection limit in the trace level, and only requires synthetic air for operating. Regarding a pharmacokinetic model, the exhaled propofol fraction could be shown in preliminary work that it correlates well with the relevant effect of the plasma concentration. Thus, the use of propofol-MCC-IMS as a monitoring system becomes an option. The goal of this project is to investigate the relevance and usefulness of the special configurated prototype of a propofol-IMS in clinical studies. Through the assistance of our cooperating partner, DEPARTMENT of OUTCOMES RESEARCH in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, a clinical study among other tasks, should be developed that mainly focuses on the investation of propofol-monitoring in a larger collective of ventilated patients, taking into account the specific physicochemical characteristics of volatile propofol, i.e. the adhesive quality of the synthetic ventilation tubes. Its goal will then to be able to make evidence-based statements about the versatility of the propofol-IMS for the regulation of total-intravenous anaesthetics.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professor Dr. Daniel Sessler