Anyone who has had a medical procedure requiring inhalation anesthesia had a 1-in-2 chance of relying on technology developed by Louisville-based Molecular Products Group.
The company annually produces about 2 million medical devices using its proprietary soda lime granules made from calcium hydroxide. The product soaks carbon dioxide in closed anesthesia circuits while patients are mechanically ventilated.
Such devices, including the ones made by Molecular Products, make rebreathing possible, preventing inhalation of carbon dioxide, said Michael P. Dosch, assistant professor and chairman of Nurse Anesthesia at University of Detroit Mercy in Michigan. “We’ve got to put air in (patients’) lungs. If left on their own, they’ll breathe shallow.” During anesthesia blood pressure sags and heartbeat changes rapidly, and it’s critical to remove carbon dioxide, he said.
The granules turn from white to violet when carbon is absorbed, said Troy Rhudy, CEO of Molecular Products, which has offices in several locations worldwide. Those carbon absorbing granules are also used in a variety of equipment used in underwater diving and other potentially hazardous environments.
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