Pocket mask
| Pocket mask | |
|---|---|
 A pocket mask with carrying case and detached one-way valve | |
| Specialty | Emergency medicine |
| Intervention | Cardiopulmonary resuscitation |
A pocket mask, or 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 registered trade marked name for the product manufactured by Laerdal Medical AS. It is not to be confused with a Bag-Valve-Mask Device (BVM).
Design
The pocket mask is a small device that can be carried on one's person. Air is administered to the patient when the emergency responder exhales through a one-way filter valve. 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
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 suspected of a spinal injury.
References
- ^ "Pocket Mask Resuscitation" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-07-17. Retrieved 2008-01-18.
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