The Pitfalls of Using Pop-off Valves in Adult Emergency Airway Management

While common in pediatric airway equipment, positive-pressure relief ( “pop-off”) valves are also present on some adult resuscitator bags. These valves are designed to decrease barotrauma but in doing so limit the airway pressure provided during manual bag-assisted ventilation. In critically ill adult patients with high airway pressures, these valves can be detrime ntal and result in hypoventilation and subsequent hypoxemia.
Source: The Journal of Emergency Medicine - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Adult Clinical Communications Source Type: research