ResMed Mask Facilitates Effective Ventilation in Simulated Respiratory Arrest

Bag-valve-mask (BVM) ventilation is an essential resuscitation skill that can be difficult to perform adequately. In a prospective, randomized crossover study involving 30 emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in South Korea, researchers compared performance of a standard mask and a continuous positive airway pressure mask (ResMed, Bella Vista, NSW, Australia) for simulated out-of-hospital, single-rescuer BVM ventilation in manikins. EMTs received a 15-minute hands-on lecture on use of the ResMed mask followed by a brief practice session.

The ResMed mask produced significantly higher mean tidal volume than a standard mask (452 mL vs. 394 mL), a higher proportion of successful volume deliveries (65% vs. 27%), and higher peak airway pressure (1…