Background: Oxygen-powered inhalation devices are intended to provide emergency ventilation support for patients in prehospital care by supplying an adequate volume of oxygen. However, there have yet been no studies conducted examining oxygen-powered inhalation devices in Thailand.

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of manual and oxygen-powered bag valve masks (BVMs).

Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study consisting of 79 EMS patients over 18 years of age at Srinagarind Hospital with oxygen saturation lower than 92% and respiratory rate greater than 30 times/minute who underwent emergency BVM ventilation, either manually or using oxygen-powered inhalation devices, from January to December 2019.

Results: The mean age of the patients in the oxygen-powered inhalation BVM group was 56.3+9.7 years, and 71.8% (n = 28) were male. The mean respiratory rate (RR) in both groups was 42.2 per minute in minute 0. In the oxygen-powered inhalation BVM group this decreased to 30.2+3.2 after 2 minutes of ventilation. The mean oxygen saturation was 86.2% at minute 0 and increased to 97.0+2.6 after 2 minutes of ventilation.

Conclusion: Oxygen-powered inhalation devices reduce RR and increase mean oxygen saturation in EMS patients with dyspnea.

Keywords: Ventilators, Ambulances, Emergency medical services, Equipment and supplies