Pocket mask
 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (January 2019) |
| Pocket mask | |
|---|---|
 A pocket mask with carrying case and detached one-way valve | |
| Specialty | Emergency medicine |
| Intervention | Cardiopulmonary resuscitation |
A pocket mask, pocket face mask, or CPR mask is a device used to safely deliver rescue breaths during a cardiac arrest or respiratory arrest. The specific term "Pocket Mask" is the trademarked name for the product manufactured by Laerdal Medical AS. It is not to be confused with a bag valve mask (BVM).
Purpose
[edit]A pocket mask is a small portable device used in the pre-hospital setting to provide adequate ventilation to a patient who is either in respiratory failure or cardiac arrest. The pocket mask is designed to be placed over the face of the patient, thus creating a seal enclosing both the mouth and nose. Air is then administered to the patient by an emergency responder. The emergency responder exhales through a one-way filter valve, providing adequate ventilation to the patient. The emergency responder is capable of delivering up to 16% oxygen with his/her breath.
Modern pocket masks have either a built in one-way valve or an attachable, disposable filter to protect the emergency responder from the patient's potentially infectious bodily substances, such as vomit or blood.[1]
Many masks also have a built-in oxygen intake tube, allowing for administration of 50-60% oxygen. Without being hooked up to an external line, exhaled air from the provider can still provide sufficient oxygen to live, up to 16%. Earth's atmosphere consists of approximately 21% oxygen.
Usage
[edit]While a pocket mask is not as efficient as a bag valve mask, it does have its advantages when only one rescuer is available. As suggested by its name, the pocket mask benefits from a somewhat easier portability when compared to the bag valve mask. Also, in contrast to the bag valve mask, which requires two hands to operate (one to form a seal and the other to squeeze the bag), the pocket mask allows for both of the rescuer's hands to be on the patients head. This hand placement provides a superior seal on the patient's face, and allows the responder to perform a jaw thrust on patients who may have a spinal injury.
See also
[edit]- Face shield – Device used to protect the wearer's face from hazards
References
[edit]- ^ "Pocket Mask Resuscitation" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2008-01-18.
- Lifeguards Ireland, Resuscitation using a pocket mask
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