2004 OPEN FORUM Abstracts
pharyngeal Oxygen Concentration in Normal Subjects Wearing High Flow Nasal Cannula
Richard
B. Wettstein, BS, RRT; Jay I. Peters, MD, David S. Shelledy; The
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Texas.
INTRODUCTION:
Nasal Cannulas (NC) are often used to deliver oxygen in the acute
and chronic care settings. We measured the pharyngeal oxygen
concentrations (OC) delivered by heated high flow NC (Vapotherm®
Inc.) at 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 liters (L) heated to 37°
Celsius (C) in 10 normal subjects.
METHOD: O2 by NC
was initiated at 5 L, with the subject at rest. Gas samples were
aspirated from a nasal catheter positioned with the tip in the
nasopharynx. Three samples were obtained while the subject was
breathing with mouth open, and three with the mouth closed, and a
final sample was obtained while the subject was breathing rapidly.
This process was repeated at each L flow setting.
RESULTS: The
mean (SD) and range for OC at prescribed flow rates were:
| Pharyngeal Oxygen Concentration (%) | |||
| Resting Breathing | Hyperventilating | ||
| Mouth Open | Mouth Closed | ||
| Flow (L/min) | Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) |
| 5 | 53 (18) | 48 (19) | 51 (24) |
| 10 | 74 (15) | 62 (13) | 58 (16) |
| 15 | 84 (11) | 69 (15) | 69 (15) |
| 20 | 83 (8) | 88 (11) | 81 (13) |
| 25 | 90 (6) | 85 (7) | 86 (9) |
| 30 | 92 (5) | 91 (5) | 89 (7) |
| 35 | 93 (5) | 92 (4) | 88 (6) |
Statistical
significance was found for a higher OC breathing with mouth open vs.
mouth closed (p < 0.00057) and a higher OC breathing with mouth
open vs. rapid breathing (p < 0.0028).
CONCLUSION:
OC delivered by High flow NC varied widely between subjects. The
data shows increasing flow does increase OC and that high flow NC are
capable of providing high OC. Our data supports an OC >80%
on flows of > 20 L/min in most cases. A statistical
significant (p<0.05) higher OC was attained breathing with mouth
open vs. mouth closed.
Departmental
Funding