Design of oxygen delivery systems influences both effectiveness and comfort in adult volunteers.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this investigation was to compare the efficiency of four oxygen delivery systems in healthy volunteers.


METHODS
The subjects received oxygen at flow rates of 3.0 and 5.0 L*min(-1) via a face mask, nasal cannulae, and two kinds of new open- and microphone-type oxygen delivery systems (OxyArm(TM) and Mike Cannula) in a random sequence, and values of partial arterial pressures of oxygen (PaO(2)) were measured. The comfort of these devices was also evaluated.


RESULTS
A significant, oxygen flow dependent increase in PaO(2) was obtained with all devices tested. PaO(2) was significantly higher when the face mask was used [217.5 +/- 19.9 (mean +/- SD) mmHg at 5 L*min(-1)) than when the Mike Cannula was used (177.5 +/- 14.8 mmHg). The face mask was the least comfortable and OxyArm was the most comfortable among the devices tested.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of our evaluation suggest that comfort and clinical performance should be considered when using oxygen delivery devices for patients who require oxygen supplementation.
Sasaki
Hideaki
H
Department of Anesthesiology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan.
Yamakage
Michiaki
M
Iwasaki
Sohshi
S
Mizuuchi
Masahito
M
Namiki
Akiyoshi
A
D000328:Adult; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010313:Partial Pressure; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000628:therapy