title: Patient-oxygen dissociation curves: surveying the spectrum of oxygen-delivery methods.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the spectrum of oxygen-delivery methods.
  
  
  METHODS
  Clinical audit.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical wards of a tertiary referral teaching hospital in August 2004.
  
  
  METHODS
  98 medical patients receiving supplemental oxygen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 98 patients, 40 were not receiving oxygen by customary methods. In classifying the patterns of oxygen delivery, we describe the transcephalic, submental, and (inadvertent) rectal approaches, as well as lachrymal insufflation and the "Venturi cravat". We also describe novel oxygen-weaning methods, including the half-wean, reverse wean, and placebo wean.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Many patients receive oxygen by unconventional methods. We postulate that this is evidence of a renewed interest in the historical routes of oxygen delivery.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW. john.attia@newcastle.edu.au
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Attia
authors.forename: Balakrishnan R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Nair
authors.forename: Stephen R
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Mears
authors.forename: Karen I
authors.initials: KI
authors.lastname: Hitchcock
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000379:methods; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen