SHORT REPORTS

Assessing the effectiveness of two round neonatal resuscitation masks: study 1

Fiona E Wood^1,2,3,4, Colin J Morley^1,2,3,4, Jennifer A Dawson^1,2,3,4, C Omar F Kamlin^1,2,3,4, Louise S Owen^1,2,3,4, Susan Donath^1,2,3,4 and Peter G Davis^1,2,3,4

¹ Division of Neonatal Services, The Royal Women’s Hospital, Carlton, Victoria 3053, Australia
² Departments of Obstetric and Gynaecology, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3053, Australia
³ Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne Victoria 3052, Australia
⁴ Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3052, Australia

Correspondence to:
Professor Colin J Morley, Division of Neonatal Services, The Royal Women’s Hospital, 132 Grattan Street, Carlton, Victoria, 3053, Australia; colin.morley{at}rwh.org.au

Background: Positive pressure ventilation (PPV) via a face mask is an important skill taught using manikins. There have been few attempts to assess the effectiveness of different face mask designs.

Aim: To determine whether leak at the face mask during simulated neonatal resuscitation differed between a new round mask design and the current most widely used model.

Method: 50 participants gave PPV to a modified manikin designed to measure leak at the face mask. Leak was calculated from the difference between the inspired and expired tidal volumes.

Results: Mask leak varied widely with no significant difference between devices; mean (SD) percentage leak for the Laerdal round mask was 55% (31) and with the Fisher & Paykel mask it was 57% (25).

Conclusion: We compared a new neonatal face mask with an established design and found no difference in leak. On average the mask leak was >50% irrespective of operator experience or technique.

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This article has been cited by other articles:

• Morley, C. J, Davis, P. G (2008). Advances in neonatal resuscitation: supporting transition. Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed. 93: F334-F336 [Full Text]  
• Wood, F. E, Morley, C. J, Dawson, J. A, Kamlin, C O. F, Owen, L. S, Donath, S., Davis, P. G (2008). Improved techniques reduce face mask leak during simulated neonatal resuscitation: study 2. Arch. Dis. Child. Fetal Neonatal Ed. 93: F230-F234 [Abstract] [Full Text]