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Modes of Oxygen Delivery

Blake Funke


System L/min % O2 Comments
Blow by (ex: Trach collar) 21-100%
Nasal cannula 1-8 25 – 45%
Large bore nasal cannula Up to 15 Up to 65% Can be identified by larger bore tubing (often green) and nose piece. Colloquially referred to as HFNC at VUMC, but true HFNC = optiflow
Venturi mask 4 to 15 24 – 50% Actual FiO2 is dependent on patient effort
Non-rebreather 10 to 15 65-95% Often used as a bridge to higher level of O2 therapy
HFNC: Optiflow (VUMC), AirVo (NAVA) Up to 60 30-100% Delivers 0.5-1 cm/H2O of PEEP per 10L of flow
Use of all of these modes requires a spontaneously breathing patient

Non-invasive positive pressure ventilation

  • CPAP
    • Indications: obstructive sleep apnea, tracheomalacia
    • Settings: CPAP, FiO2
  • BiPAP
    • Indications: hypercapnic respiratory failure (RF), hypoxic RF, pulmonary edema, obstructive sleep apnea, obesity hypoventilation syndrome, RF 2/2 neuromuscular disease
    • Settings: IPAP, EPAP, FiO2, RR (sometimes)
Invasive positive-pressure ventilation
Mode You set Not set Comments
Pressure support (PS)

PEEP

PS above PEEP

FiO2

TV

RR

Inspiratory flow

Similar to Bipap. Frequently used for vent weaning / SBT. Requires spontaneously breathing pt
Volume Control (AC/VC)

PEEP

RR

TV

Inspiratory flow

FiO2

Inspiratory pressure

Mandates a minute ventilation; limits volutrauma (i.e. can guarantee low tidal volume ventilation)

Primary mode used in MICU (mode used in major ARDS trials)

SIMV

Synchronized Intermittent Mandatory Ventilation

PEEP

RR

TV

PS above PEEP

FiO2

Pt gets VC breath for set rate, but if tries to breath over this will get PS breath; VC and PS breaths are synchronized when able
Pressure Control (AC/PC)

RR

Inspiratory Pressure

PEEP

Inspiratory Time (or I:E ratio)

FiO2

TV

Minimizes barotrauma (i.e. sets a max inspiratory pressure) does not guarantee a specific minute ventilation (must monitor PCO2 with blood gases)

Does not have natural ventilator alarms for protection – need to increase low minute ventilation alarm threshold

PRVC

Pressure Regulated Volume Control

PEEP

RR

TV

Inspiratory flow

Pressure max

FiO2

Adaptive pressure control (NOT actually a volume control mode); tries to limit both barotrauma and volutrauma but if in conflict, minute ventilation will drop (i.e. need to monitor PCO2 with blood gases like any other PC mode)

Con: More the pt works, the less the ventilator does

APRV / Bilevel

PEEP (PLow)

Pressure High

Time Low

Time High

FiO2

TV

Long periods of inspiratory holds and very brief expirations (i.e. releases), for refractory hypoxemia.

Often difficult to ventilate pts on this mode


Last update: 2022-06-02 13:28:55