The masks we (throw) use on patients .......

Oxygen masks are effective oxygen delivery device which is used mainly to supply oxygen from a storage tank to the lungs. Many people make use of this nowadays most especially medical care providers, aviators, medical researchers and hyperbaric chamber and other patients. Because of this, a wide variety of styles are now available for oxygen masks.

There are four available basic styles of oxygen masks. These are the simple facemask, the venture mask, the partial rebreather mask and the non-rebreather mask.

The simple facemask is the most commonly available oxygen mask to the public. This has a number of vents on both sides and can deliver 35-40 percent of oxygen. However if the oxygen flow increases to 10L/min, this can deliver up to 50 percent oxygen. The disadvantage with this type of oxygen mask is that this seals poorly and has large ventilation holes, thus oxygen flow is diluted with air.

The venture mask, on the other hand, is an oxygen mask that uses a mechanical venturi effect in order to increase the flow rate of oxygen into the mask. It supplies a desired amount of oxygen starting from 24% upto 40%, and this amount can be adjusted by using different valves. Useful in COPD patients when you want to control the amount of O2 they receive.

Another type of oxygen mask is the partial rebreather. This type of mask, which is often called as medium concentration oxygen delivery mask, almost looks like the non-rebreather mask but it does not have a one-way valve between the mask and the reservoir bag. This delivers almost 40 to 50 percent oxygen, and can increase up to 60 percent. Dont use this in a patient with tendency towards Co2 retention.

The last type is the non-rebreather. From the four types, this is the one that can deliver up to 90 percent of oxygen. This makes use of valves on both sides in order to prevent air and patient exhalation from diluting the oxygen in the reservoir bag. The valves open when the patient inhales and breathes in oxygen. However, masks of this type with valves on both sides are prescription masks only.

These are the different styles of oxygen masks. All are able to deliver the amount of oxygen needed. These are effective if used in appropriate clinical setting!!