Effects of Flow Rate on Delivery of Bubble Continuous Positive Airway Pressure in an In Vitro Model

Ho, Tsyr-Yuh; Ou, Shan-Fu; Huang, Shih-Hui; Lee, Chi-Ning; Ger, Luo-Ping; Hsieh, Kai-Sheng; Cheng, Hui-Ying; Lee, Wei Yang; Weng, Ken-Pen

doi:10.1016/S1875-9572(10)60041-1

« Previous Next »Pediatrics & Neonatology
Volume 51, Issue 4 , Pages 214-218, August 2010

Effects of Flow Rate on Delivery of Bubble Continuous Positive Airway Pressure in an In Vitro Model

Tsyr-Yuh Ho
- Division of Pediatrics, Zuoying Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Shan-Fu Ou
- Division of Pediatrics, Zuoying Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Shih-Hui Huang
- Department of Nursing, Fooying University, Kaohsiung County, Taiwan
Chi-Ning Lee
- Division of Pediatrics, Zuoying Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Luo-Ping Ger
- Department of Pediatrics and Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
Kai-Sheng Hsieh
- Department of Pediatrics and Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
Hui-Ying Cheng
- Department of Nursing, Zuoying Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
Wei Yang Lee
- Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Municipal United Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Corresponding authors. Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, 386 Ta-Chung 1^st Road, Kaohsiung 813, Taiwan, or Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Municipal United Hospital, 976 Chunghwa 1^st Road, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan. E-mail: treeho@yahoo.com.tw
Ken-Pen Weng
- Division of Pediatrics, Zuoying Armed Forces General Hospital, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Department of Nursing, Fooying University, Kaohsiung County, Taiwan
- Department of Pediatrics and Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, Kaohsiung, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
- Yuh-Ing Junior College of Health Care and Management, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
- Corresponding authors. Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, 386 Ta-Chung 1^st Road, Kaohsiung 813, Taiwan, or Department of Pediatrics, Kaohsiung Municipal United Hospital, 976 Chunghwa 1^st Road, Kaohsiung 804, Taiwan. E-mail: treeho@yahoo.com.tw

Received 23 June 2009; received in revised form 23 October 2009; accepted 16 November 2009.

Background

There has been concern over the effect of vigorous bubbling on the delivery pressure during the operation of the bubble nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) system. We investigated the relationship between intra-tubing pressure changes and flow rates in a closed bubble CPAP system in vitro.

Methods

Using an experimental (in vitro) model, the distal connecting tube of the CPAP system was immersed under the water seal to a depth of 5 cm. Sixteen different flow rates, ranging from 2 L/min to 20 L/min, were tested. The procedure was repeated 10 times at each flow rate, and the intra-tubing pressure was recorded.

Results

The intra-tubing pressure within the model increased as the air flow rates were adjusted from 2 L/min to 20 L/min. The relationship was represented by the following equation, pressure (cmH₂O) = 5.37 + 0.15 × flow rate (L/min) (R² = 0.826, p < 0.001).