A bit of a ‘grey’ area

Relative analgesia – or inhalation sedation as it is more commonly referred to now – is well established in the UK and has been since the 1960s. In that decade, Cyprane, West Lane, Keighley commenced manufacture of the Quantiflex Analogue MDM – the first dedicated R A Flowmeter, developed by a Canadian, Fraser Sweatman. This machine is still in production today, sadly no longer in the UK. Since that time, many other R A Flowmeters have become available; Digital MDM and MXR – all manufactured by Porter Instruments, Philadelphia, USA. A further range is available from Accutron, located in Phoenix, Arizona; Analogue Ultra, Digital Ultra and the Newport. Also available is the McKesson Mc1 along with some older types of unit such as the QRA Mark I and II flowmeters the latter of which are still in use, but no longer in production. In addition, over the years there have been a variety of mounting options for these flowmeters, the most common of which is the mobile four-cylinder stand – allowing the flowmeter to be a stand-alone system. The stands have undergone several improvements since the 1960s – the original Cyprane stands are now mostly replaced, although a few still remain out in the field along with the original Cyprane flowmeter – making them at least 50-plus years old. The flowmeter can be overhauled but sadly, nothing can be done with the stand and it should be replaced with the modern version. Another popular mounting, for pipeline use, is the telescoping swing arm bracket. It is important that staff recognise their equipment and are able to identify the individual components that make up the specification. If in any doubt, then advice should be sought from the supplier.