An
Ambu bag is a medical device used to provide assisted ventilation to people who
are either not breathing or are having trouble breathing. The bag needs to be
compressed to force a volume of air into the lungs. Ambu is a registered
trademark name for a major manufacturer of the device. The technical name for
the device is a bag valve mask resuscitator or BMV resuscitator.
Function
An
Ambu bag is used by medical personnel, such as a nurse or respiratory therapist.
Using an Ambu bag takes the place of forcing air into the lungs using
mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Bags come in different sizes for infants,
children and adults. The different sizes are needed to deliver an appropriate
tidal volume of air to the patient, based on his size.
Features
An
Ambu bag consists of a bag, adapter and one-way valve. The bag is the main part
of the device. It can be attached directly to an endotracheal tube or a mask
using the adapter. The bag also has a one-way valve which allows the oxygen to
flow to the patient and prevents the patient from breathing in his exhaled air.
Some bags may have a reservoir, which increases the amount of oxygen the
patient receives.
