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Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a possible complication of using a manually triggered oxygen powered device for ventilation?

Manually triggered oxygen-powered ventilation can deliver breaths with a range of pressures and volumes depending on technique, so several complications can arise. Air can be pushed into the stomach instead of the lungs, leading to gastric distention. This not only makes ventilation less effective but can increase the risk of vomiting and aspiration and can impede breathing by elevating the diaphragm. High airway pressures or overzealous ventilation can cause barotrauma, including pneumothorax, especially in injured or diseased lungs. Finally, relying on a device can reduce the operator’s tactile sense of lung response, making it harder to judge how compliant the lungs are or to feel resistance correctly, which can complicate assessment of ventilation adequacy. Because each of these issues can occur, all of the above are possible complications of using a manually triggered oxygen-powered device.

Manually triggered oxygen-powered ventilation can deliver breaths with a range of pressures and volumes depending on technique, so several complications can arise. Air can be pushed into the stomach instead of the lungs, leading to gastric distention. This not only makes ventilation less effective but can increase the risk of vomiting and aspiration and can impede breathing by elevating the diaphragm. High airway pressures or overzealous ventilation can cause barotrauma, including pneumothorax, especially in injured or diseased lungs. Finally, relying on a device can reduce the operator’s tactile sense of lung response, making it harder to judge how compliant the lungs are or to feel resistance correctly, which can complicate assessment of ventilation adequacy. Because each of these issues can occur, all of the above are possible complications of using a manually triggered oxygen-powered device.