Evaluation of manual resuscitators used in ICUs in Brazil

• Autor(a) principal: Ortiz,Tatiana de Arruda
• Data de Publicação: 2013
• Outros Autores: Forti Junior,Germano, Volpe,Marcia Souza, Beraldo,Marcelo do Amaral, Amato,Marcelo Britto Passos, Carvalho,Carlos Roberto Ribeiro, Tucci,Mauro Roberto
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Jornal Brasileiro de Pneumologia (Online)
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1806-37132013000500595
• topic: Materials testing; Positive-pressure respiration; Equipment safety; Equipment design; Respiration, artificial; Resuscitation

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the performance of manual resuscitators (MRs) used in Brazil in accordance with international standards. METHODS: Using a respiratory system simulator, four volunteer physiotherapists employed eight MRs (five produced in Brazil and three produced abroad), which were tested for inspiratory and expiratory resistance of the patient valve; functioning of the pressure-limiting valve; and tidal volume (VT) generated when the one-handed and two-handed techniques were used. The tests were performed and analyzed in accordance with the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F920-93 criteria. RESULTS: Expiratory resistance was greater than 6 cmH2O . L−1 . s−1 in only one MR. The pressure-limiting valve, a feature of five of the MRs, opened at low pressures (< 17 cmH2O), and the maximal pressure was 32.0-55.9 cmH2O. Mean VT varied greatly among the MRs tested. The mean VT values generated with the one-handed technique were lower than the 600 mL recommended by the ASTM. In the situations studied, mean VT was generally lower from the Brazilian-made MRs that had a pressure-limiting valve. CONCLUSIONS: The resistances imposed by the patient valve met the ASTM criteria in all but one of the MRs tested. The pressure-limiting valves of the Brazilian-made MRs usually opened at low pressures, providing lower VT values in the situations studied, especially when the one-handed technique was used, suggesting that both hands should be used and that the pressure-limiting valve should be closed whenever possible.