Biomaterial Database

Low flow continuous positive airway pressure with a modified fresh gas reservoir. 1981

M E Zebrowski, and R T Geer

To minimize respiratory effort, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) must be applied in a manner that maintains a constant airway pressure. Conventional CPAP circuits depend on relatively high fresh gas flows (FGF) to maintain circuit pressure during inspiration. The authors describe a CPAP circuit employing a "weighted bellows." This simple modification of the conventional gas reservoir allows the FGF to be significantly reduced. In fact, minimal changes in circuit pressure can be achieved with FGF that barely exceeds the patient's minute ventilation. The modified system is compact, mechanically uncomplicated, and simply constructed.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D011175	Positive-Pressure Respiration	A method of mechanical ventilation in which pressure is maintained to increase the volume of gas remaining in the lungs at the end of expiration, thus reducing the shunting of blood through the lungs and improving gas exchange.	Positive End-Expiratory Pressure,Positive-Pressure Ventilation,End-Expiratory Pressure, Positive,End-Expiratory Pressures, Positive,Positive End Expiratory Pressure,Positive End-Expiratory Pressures,Positive Pressure Respiration,Positive Pressure Ventilation,Positive-Pressure Respirations,Positive-Pressure Ventilations,Pressure, Positive End-Expiratory,Pressures, Positive End-Expiratory,Respiration, Positive-Pressure,Respirations, Positive-Pressure,Ventilation, Positive-Pressure,Ventilations, Positive-Pressure
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man