An integrated graphic data display improves detection and identification of critical events during anesthesia.

Objective: To show that an integrated graphic data display can shorten the time taken to detect and correctly identify critical events during anesthesia.

Methods: We developed a graphic display which presents 30 anesthesia-related physiologic variables as shapes and colors, rather than traditional digits and waveforms. To evaluate the new display, we produced four critical events on a computer-based anesthesia simulator and asked two groups of five anesthesiologists to identify the events as quickly as possible. One group observed the new display while the other group viewed a traditional cardiovascular monitor with digital and waveform displays.

Results: The group which observed the integrated graphic display saw changes caused by inadequate paralysis 2.4 min sooner, and changes caused by a cuff leak 3.1 min sooner than those observing the traditional display. The integrated display group correctly identified the reason for the change 2.8 min sooner for inadequate paralysis, 3.1 min sooner for cuff leak and 3.1 min sooner for bleeding. These differences were all statistically significant.

Conclusions: The results show that some simulated critical events are detected and correctly identified sooner, when an anesthesiologist views an integrated graphic display, rather than a traditional digital/waveform monitor.