Which electrode is used to obtain arterial PCO2 levels during transcutaneous monitoring?

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Multiple Choice

Which electrode is used to obtain arterial PCO2 levels during transcutaneous monitoring?

Explanation:
The Severinghaus electrode is used for transcutaneous arterial PCO2 measurement. It works by allowing CO2 to diffuse through a membrane into a bicarbonate buffer, where CO2 forms carbonic acid and changes the buffer’s pH. A pH electrode then detects that change, and the pH signal is calibrated to reflect arterial PCO2. The Clark electrode, by contrast, measures PO2, not CO2, so it isn’t used for tcPCO2. The other named electrodes are not the standard CO2-sensing choice in transcutaneous monitoring.

The Severinghaus electrode is used for transcutaneous arterial PCO2 measurement. It works by allowing CO2 to diffuse through a membrane into a bicarbonate buffer, where CO2 forms carbonic acid and changes the buffer’s pH. A pH electrode then detects that change, and the pH signal is calibrated to reflect arterial PCO2. The Clark electrode, by contrast, measures PO2, not CO2, so it isn’t used for tcPCO2. The other named electrodes are not the standard CO2-sensing choice in transcutaneous monitoring.

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