Comments on: Gel http://sinaiem.us/education/gel bringing technology to the bedside for improved patient care Fri, 06 Jan 2012 00:50:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Bret http://sinaiem.us/education/gel#comment-216 Bret Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:18:02 +0000 http://sinaiem.us/?p=889#comment-216 Great questions! First, let me explain the reason for my post. Staff were taking defibrillator gel from the code carts and using it on the ultrasound machines. Very bad. On to your questions: Ultrasound gel is optimized for <em>acoustic</em> impedance, and electrode gel is designed to minimize <em>electrical</em> impedance. Practically speaking, both gels are aqueous solutions capable of transmitting either sound or electricity. As you've noted, water can serve as an ultrasound coupling agent in a pinch. Others have used surgical lubricant, lotion, and a host of other such liquids when "real" ultrasound coupling gel is unavailable. With regards to defibrillation, ultrasound gel works pretty well. I have not been able to find an ingredient list for any commercially available ultrasound or defibrillator gel. For example, here is the only data I could find on Aquasonic's Ultrasound gel: * Acoustically correct for the broad range of frequencies used * Completely aqueous, will not stain clothing or damage transducers * Unique "can't be copied" formula is hypoallergenic, bacteriostatic, non-sensitizing and non-irritating * No formaldehyde * Not a spermicide So at least we learn that it isn't a spermicide! Great questions! First, let me explain the reason for my post. Staff were taking defibrillator gel from the code carts and using it on the ultrasound machines. Very bad.
On to your questions:
Ultrasound gel is optimized for acoustic impedance, and electrode gel is designed to minimize electrical impedance. Practically speaking, both gels are aqueous solutions capable of transmitting either sound or electricity. As you’ve noted, water can serve as an ultrasound coupling agent in a pinch. Others have used surgical lubricant, lotion, and a host of other such liquids when “real” ultrasound coupling gel is unavailable.
With regards to defibrillation, ultrasound gel works pretty well.
I have not been able to find an ingredient list for any commercially available ultrasound or defibrillator gel.
For example, here is the only data I could find on Aquasonic’s Ultrasound gel:
* Acoustically correct for the broad range of frequencies used
* Completely aqueous, will not stain clothing or damage transducers
* Unique “can’t be copied” formula is hypoallergenic, bacteriostatic, non-sensitizing and non-irritating

* No formaldehyde
* Not a spermicide

So at least we learn that it isn’t a spermicide!

]]> By: Francesco Falaschi http://sinaiem.us/education/gel#comment-215 Francesco Falaschi Mon, 25 Jan 2010 15:56:28 +0000 http://sinaiem.us/?p=889#comment-215 The article is not quite clear. Two question are important: 1) Is it a problem to use ultrasound gel to defibrillate? 2) Is it a problem to use electrode gel to do ultrasound? For question n2 I would answer that in my experience electrode gel gives a fair echographic imaging but is a little worse of gel designed for echo; when I have only electrode gel at hand I prefer to use just water instead of gel for better imaging. This is probably due to different Impedance of the electrode gel (Z). For question n1 I don't have an answer The article is not quite clear.
Two question are important:
1) Is it a problem to use ultrasound gel to defibrillate?
2) Is it a problem to use electrode gel to do ultrasound?
For question n2 I would answer that in my experience electrode gel gives a fair echographic imaging but is a little worse of gel designed for echo; when I have only electrode gel at hand I prefer to use just water instead of gel for better imaging. This is probably due to different Impedance of the electrode gel (Z).
For question n1 I don’t have an answer

]]>