AMSORB® Plus
Key Details
AMSORB® Plus absorbs carbon dioxide from cellular respiration during anaesthesia.
Why change to AMSORB® Plus
AMSORB® Plus is the world’s first CO₂ absorbent to be free of strong alkali. It offers significant clinical, cost and environmental advantage.
AMSORB® Plus is easier to use
AMSORB® Plus retains its desiccated colour change. Available in prefill cartridges compatible with most common anaesthesia machine brands.
AMSORB® Plus is safer
Unlike other absorbents, AMSORB® Plus is incapable of anaesthetic degradation and does not produce harmful by-products.
AMSORB® Plus is better for the environment
AMSORB® Plus is free of strong-base chemicals, therefore, the material is non-hazardous, safe to handle during handling and disposal, and is suitable for landfill.
AMSORB® Plus is cost effective
AMSORB® Plus demonstrates the least potential to delay inhalational induction at any flow rates. Ahmed et al. 2011 demonstrated 25.7% annual anaesthetic gas savings.
AMSORB® Plus is designed for low flow anaesthesia
AMSORB® Plus is safe for use at low and minimal flow rates. It will not adsorb anaesthetic agent and is not capable of agent degradation.
AMSORB® Plus - Process, Environmental Impact & Sustainability
Presentation at Winter Scientific Meeting 2020
AMSORB® Plus - Supporting Sustainable Anaesthesia
FREE OF STRONG ALKALI
AMSORB® Plus can contribute to your hospital’s sustainable anaesthesia strategy
Reduced Anaesthetic Gas Consumption
With no strong alkali present, AMSORB® Plus enables safe, low and minimal flow anaesthesia, with reduced adsorption of anaesthetic vapour.
Reduced Absorbent Waste
The permanent colour change of AMSORB® Plus is an accurate visual indicator of granule exhaustion giving confidence to use AMSORB® Plus until FiCO2 reaches 0.5mmHg maximising length of use and reducing waste.
Prefilled canisters are autofilled to ensure reduced intergranular space, maximising absorbent weight per canister and optimising gas flow with improved absorption efficiency.
Prefilled canisters can be easily replaced mid procedure utilising absorption capacity until breakthrough and reducing waste associated with pre-emptive change.
Non-Hazardous Waste
As AMSORB® Plus is non caustic, it may be disposed of in domestic waste (in accordance with local waste management policy).
Desiccated Sodalime >pH12.5
Desiccated AMSORB® Plus <pH12.5
The Enviromental Impact of Anaesthesia
Inhalation anaesthetic gases contribute to climate change – accounting for 5% of NHS CO2 emissions. 2% (590,000 ton) of all UK industrial and commercial waste is generated by the NHS.1
Each UK operating room generates between 52-78kg of hazardous soda lime waste per year – equivalent to 166-249 ton in the UK.2
Implications of using AMSORB® Plus in Clinical Practice: Cost, Patient Safety and Environmental Impact.3
Single Site Manufacturing
Reduced carbon footprint from single site manufacturing.
When to exchange?
AMSORB® Plus is NOT the same as Sodalime
No production of CO or Compound A (even when desiccated). Low flow and closed-circuit techniques are safer, even with sevoflurane.
Discard as non-hazardous waste. AMSORB® Plus exhausted pH <12.5, is safe for landfill and breaks down to harmless inorganic compounds.
How AMSORB® Plus works
The primary reaction is between CO2 and calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH)2) and water. These form calcium carbonate (CaCO3) and water. Exothermic heat is a by-product of absorption. During absorption, Ca(OH)2 is continually re-moistened until converted to CaCO3. Lesser chemicals, calcium chloride (CaCl2) and calcium sulphate (CaSO4) prolong the life of Ca(OH)₂ and increase the speed of absorption reaction by maintaining granule strength and optimising hydration.
Chemical Reaction of Absorption
Ca(OH)2 + CO2 >>>>> CaCO3 + H2O
Slightly soluble >>>>> Insoluble
Ca(OH)2 is an ionic compound which is soluble in water at 0.5g/L at 20°C:
- The ions are Ca++ and OH-OH-
- CO2 is soluble in water at 1 vol : 1 vol at 20°C
- CaCO3 is an insoluble ionic compound Ca++ and CO3- –
Reactions take place in solution when particles are mobile and react on collision
A colour indicator is present, changing from WHITE (fresh) to VIOLET upon exhaustion or desiccation.
The indicator reacts to changes in granule hydration as absorption progresses; eventually remaining violet-coloured, once absorption is complete. Colouration also results from contact with ambient air or oxygen, if exposed to these.
References
- https://anaesthetists.org/Home/Resources-publications/Environment/Our-environmental-work/Why-it-matters-facts-figures.
- Estimate based on 1 kg/OR per week x 3200 OR’s = 166,400kg, 1.5 kg/OR per week x 3200 OR’s = 249,600kg.
- Jones A, Dobson A, Implications of using AMSORB® Plus in clinical practice: Cost, Patient Safety and Environmental Impact. Presented at the Royal Collage of Anaesthetists Winter Scientific Meeting.
- Mannion S, Ahmed O. The cost implications of replacing soda lime with Amsorb® in clinical practice. European Journal of Anaesthesiology. June 2011;28:P12-13.
Product Codes
AMSORB® Plus
BUBBLE-BLOC® Adapter for Dräger anaesthesia workstations.
| Code Type | Code |
|---|---|
| Product Code | AMAB4000-002 |
Box Quantity: 1
AMSORB® Plus
1.2 litre cartridge (without sealing gasket).
| Code Type | Code |
|---|---|
| Product Code | AMAB3201 |
Box Quantity: 12
AMSORB® Plus
Prefilled UNIVERSAL BUBBLE-CAN® absorber, 1.2 litre for Dräger anaesthesia workstations including Apollo, Pallas and Primus.
| Code Type | Code |
|---|---|
| Product Code | AMAB4001 |
Box Quantity: 6
AMSORB® Plus
1.0kg bag.
| Code Type | Code |
|---|---|
| Product Code | AMAB3400 |
Box Quantity: 12
AMSORB® Plus
Prefilled CAN-CAN® absorber, 1 litre for GE Healthcare ADU II anaesthesia workstations.
| Code Type | Code |
|---|---|
| Product Code | AMAB3800 |
Box Quantity: 6
AMSORB® Plus
Prefilled G-CAN® absorber, 1 litre for GE Healthcare Aisys, Avance and Aespire anaesthesia workstations.
| Code Type | Code |
|---|---|
| Product Code | AMAB3801 |
Box Quantity: 8
AMSORB® Plus
Prefilled Q-CAN absorber, 1 litre for Anmedic anaesthesia workstations with Q circle system.
| Code Type | Code |
|---|---|
| Product Code | AMAB3802 |
Box Quantity: 6
AMSORB® Plus
Limescale removal fluid, 500ml spray.
| Code Type | Code |
|---|---|
| Product Code | AMAB0001 |
Box Quantity: 1
AMSORB® Plus
Prefilled BUBBLE-CAN® absorber, 1.3 litre for Dräger anaesthesia workstations excluding Apollo, Pallas and Primus.
| Code Type | Code |
|---|---|
| Product Code | AMAB4000 |
Box Quantity: 6
AMSORB® Plus
5.0 litre jerican.
| Code Type | Code |
|---|---|
| Product Code | AMAB3000 |
Box Quantity: 2
Downloads
Product Literature
| File | Type | Size | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
AMSORB-Plus-brochure-v9 |
11.41 MB | 6th Dec 2022 | |
AMSORB® Plus Sustainable Anaesthesia Brochure |
2.11 MB | 26th Jun 2020 |
Clinical Papers
| File | Type | Size | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
Effect of Co2 Absorbent on the Cost of Low Flow |
63.24 KB | 20th Dec 2019 | |
Bedi et al 2001 |
666.83 KB | 27th Mar 2018 | |
Coppens et al 2006 |
101.76 KB | 27th Mar 2018 | |
Yamakage et al 2000 |
118.44 KB | 27th Mar 2018 | |
Magee, 2008 |
468.55 KB | 18th Sep 2019 | |
Levy et al., 2010 |
356.79 KB | 18th Sep 2019 | |
Mannion, 2011 |
444.43 KB | 18th Sep 2019 |
Support Documents
| File | Type | Size | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
Why change to AMSORB® Plus? |
6.01 MB | 12th Aug 2019 |