Oxygen delivery systems
Percent
System oxygen Indications Comments
delivered*
Blow by Less than 30 Use for Best delivered at a flow rate of at
percent spontaneously least 10 L/minute through a
breathing children reservoir (ie, a simple mask or
who require low Styrofoam or paper drinking cup
doses of oxygen and with oxygen tubing poked through
do not tolerate a the bottom) with the reservoir held
mask near the patient's face by a parent
or other caregiver
Low flow nasal 25 to 40 Use to deliver low- Percent oxygen delivered affected
cannula (1 to 4 percent dose oxygen to by respiratory rate, tidal volume,
L/min) spontaneously and extent of mouth breathing. In
breathing patients infants, limit flow rate to 2 L/min or
less to avoid inadvertent
administration of positive airway
pressure
Simple mask 35 to 50 Use to deliver low- Percent oxygen delivered affected
percent dose oxygen to by mask fit and respiratory rate
spontaneously
breathing patients
Small diffuser 25 to >80 Use to provide low- or Range of oxygen delivery at
(OxyMask) percent high-dose oxygen to different flow rates (approximately
spontaneously 25 percent at 1.5 L/min to >80
breathing patients percent at ≥15 L/min). Open-mask
design may be better tolerated by
children. May provide equivalent
oxygen delivery at lower flow rates
than other mask devices.
Partial 50 to 60 Use to conserve
rebreather mask percent oxygen
Nonrebreather 65 to 95 Use to deliver high- Tight mask fit required to deliver
mask percent dose oxygen to higher concentrations of oxygen
spontaneously
breathing patients
Hood 30 to 90 Infants less than one Noisy for patient
percent year of age
Tent 25 to 50 Use for children who Mist may obscure view of patient.
percent require 30 percent Noisy for patient. Low-flow nasal
oxygen or less cannula or masks preferred.
Self-inflating 95 to 100 Use to provide Do not use to provide blow by.
ventilation bag percent, with assisted ventilation Must use with a reservoir to
reservoir and oxygen provide higher oxygen
concentrations.
Flow-inflating 100 percent Use to provide May use to provide blow by.
ventilation bag assisted ventilation Requires experience to use reliably.
and oxygen
*Actual percent oxygen delivered may vary widely depending on the type of delivery device,
device manufacturer, oxygen flow rate provided to the device, and, for oxygen masks, mask
fit. All patients receiving supplemental oxygen warrant monitoring with pulse oximetry.
Graphic 60610 Version 9.0
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