title: Sustained inflations: comparing three neonatal resuscitation devices.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Some national resuscitation guidelines advocate using sustained initial inflations (2-3 s) for babies requiring resuscitation. Inflation times ≥10 s have been used for preterm infants.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study examines the ability of operators of varying experience to provide a sustained inflation using three different manual ventilation devices.
  
  
  METHODS
  We compared a self-inflating bag, a flow-inflating bag and a pressure-limited T-piece device. Fifty clinical staff members from five professional groups gave a sustained inflation with a target peak pressure of 30 cm H2O and target duration of 10 s to an internal leak-free manikin. We measured peak inflating pressure (PIP) and mean inflating pressure (MIP) during the sustained inflation, and the duration of inflating pressure (IP) >20 and 25 cm H2O.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median (IQR) duration of IP >25 cm H2O was: self-inflating bag 2.5 s (0.8-5.7), flow-inflating bag 10.6 s (8.4-12.9) and the T-piece 10.7 s (8.9-11.9). There was a weak correlation between experience using a self-inflating bag and longer inflation times (R = 0.290, p = 0.041). When compared with the T-piece, the flow-inflating bag had lower mean MIP (27.0 ± 1.8 vs. 28.8 ± 2.0 cm H2O) and higher mean PIP (32.3 ± 3.7 vs. 29.8 ± 1.8 cm H2O). There were no differences in performance between operator groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The T-piece provided consistent PIP during a single 10 s sustained inflation with less variation in pressure compared with the flow-inflating bag. Sustained inflations >3 s were difficult to achieve with a self-inflating bag.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University Hospital of North Norway, Tromsø, Norway. claus.klingenberg@unn.no
authors.forename: Claus
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Klingenberg
authors.forename: Jennifer A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Dawson
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gerber
authors.forename: C Omar F
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Kamlin
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Colin J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Morley
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004867:Equipment Design; D004864:Equipment and Supplies; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000628:therapy; D007327:Insufflation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D008348:Manikins; D009359:Neonatology / Q000295:instrumentation; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000295:instrumentation*