Oxygen Delivery Performance of Three Adult Resuscitation Bags

The Hope I, Hope II, and Vitalograph bag resuscitators were studied at various oxygen flowrates and ventilation patterns, with and without oxygen reservoirs to determine fractional delivered oxygen (FDO₂) and function of patient valves. The Hope I cannot deliver high oxygen concentrations (FDO2 >0.90) in any configuration and should not be used when high FDO2 is important. The Hope II cannot deliver high oxygen without a reservoir; but with a reservoir and oxygen flowrates of 10 l/min or greater, it does achieve FDO2 >0.90. The Vitalograph requires both an oxygen reservoir and an oxygen flowrate of 20 1/min to achieve high oxygen concentrations. To use the Vitalograph in this technique one should employ a backpressure-calibrated oxygen flowmeter capable of accurately delivering 20 1/min; otherwise there is a risk that the patient valve may stick at oxygen flowrates >25 1/min.