The modern anaesthesia workstation provides a wealth of information some of which is of particular interest when it comes to optimising ventilation settings. This knowledge gains even more importance in the therapy of paediatric patients. In the absence of evidence-based recommendations on optimal ventilation settings in paediatric patients, the evaluation of individual factors becomes crucial and challenging at the same time.

Even when equipped with the latest sensor technology, the user will always have to be in charge of interpreting the provided monitoring variables. The purpose of this review is to outline the clinical impact, technological background and reliability of the most relevant information measured and calculated by a modern anaesthesia workstation. It aims at translating the technical knowledge into a more competent and vigilant application in the clinical setting.