999 Validation of Pediatric Cardiorespiratory Simulator: Simulresp

Introduction

To improve the training of medical students in respiratory physiology, we created an interactive cardio-respiratory simulator (SimulResp, figure 1). The objective of our study was to validate the simulator in normal and specific patient conditions.

Methods

We run SimulResp (version 2012.03.10.01) with several virtual patients characteristics: sex (M/F), age (8 to 18 years old) and weights (10 ^th, median, 90^th percentiles), atmospheric pressure increase (simulation of scuba diving condition). SimulResp was run 3 times for each patient characteristic. We compared pH, PO₂ and PCO₂ obtained from the simulations to physiological values published in literature.

Results

Blood gases values obtained from SimulResp (figure 1) were within normal range (pH 7.35–7.45, PCO₂ 35–45 mmHg, PO₂ 80–100 mmHg). At 4.7 atmospheres, the difference with the published data (ref 1) was less than 10% for all values (figure 2).

Conclusion

The cardiorespiratory simulator, SimulResp, delivered blood gases values within normal range. The next step will be to implement clinical scenarios to facilitate medical student training.

Reference

(1) Cherry AD, Predictors of hypercapnia in immersed exercise at depth, JAP2008,106:316–325.