Bag valve mask
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A BVM Resuscitator (Bag Valve Mask) is a part of the usual equipment carried by ALS (advanced life support) and BLS (basic life support) units to provide patient treatment in medical emergencies such as cardiac arrest. The BVM is also frequently used in hospitals, and is an essential part of a crash cart. It is a bag which is self-filling with air or additional oxygen (O2) can be added.
The BVM directs the gas inside it via a one-way valve when compressed by a rescuer; the gas is then delivered through a mask and into the patient's trachea and into the lungs. This technique is regularly necessary in medical emergencies when the patient's breathing is insufficient or has ceased completely. The BVM Resuscitator is used in order to manually provide mechanical ventilation.
An endotracheal tube (ETT) can be inserted by a trained practitioner and the mask substituted for the ETT. This provides a more secure fit, is easier to manage during emergency transport as the ET Tube is sealed with an inflatable cuff in the Trachea, so that any regurgitation cannot enter the lungs. Such material is very caustic and can severely damage the lung tissue. Inhalation of stomach contents can be fatal and the after effects are known as Mendelson's syndrome.
In a hospital, however, long-term mechanical ventilation is provided by using more complex devices such as an intensive care ventilator.
A free transparent reality simulation of the self-inflating manual resuscitator (a.k.a. as Bag Valve mask or "Ambu bag" - a trade name) is available at http://vam.anest.ufl.edu/checkout/check-sirb.html
Procedures: First aid, Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), Basic life support (BLS), Advanced Life Support (ALS), Advanced cardiac life support (ACLS), Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS), Advanced Pediatric Life Support (APLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
Trauma centers: Level I, Level II, Level III, Level IV
Equipment: ambulance, bag valve mask, chest tube, defibrillation (AED, ICD), electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG), intubation, intravenous therapy (IV)
People: certified first responder, emergency medical technician (EMT), paramedic, emergency physician
Drugs: atropine, epinephrine
Other: golden hour, emergency department, emergency medical services, triage
