Oxygen delivery using neonatal self-inflating resuscitation bags without a reservoir

Abstract

Background: Guidelines recommend avoidance of excessive oxygen administration during neonatal resuscitation. Blenders are used in some but not all hospitals. It has been suggested that self-inflating bags without a reservoir deliver around 40% oxygen and could be used to provide an inexpensive and effective technique of avoiding oxygen toxicity. Objective: To explore how much oxygen is delivered when using two different brands of neonatal self-inflating resuscitation bags without a reservoir. Methods: In a benchtop setting, the smallest non-disposable self-inflating bags from the Laerdal and Ambu ranges were tested. Oxygen concentration delivered by these devices under a variety of condition..