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Updated: Aug 2, 2026

Lavage-induced Surfactant Depletion in Pigs As a Model of the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS)
Published on: September 7, 2016
Sudden severe barotrauma from self-inflating bag-valve devices
R Silbergleit1, D C Lee, C Blank-Reid
1Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia 19129, USA.
Abstract:
Self-inflating bag-valve devices are commonly used for the ventilation of intubated patients, especially during resuscitation and transport. These devices are generally safe, but minor deviations in their recommended use can expose patients to airway pressures greater than 135 cm H2O. We present a patient in whom a sudden tension pneumothorax developed during ventilation with a bag-valve device. We believe that this complication resulted from high airway pressures generated in the bag-valve device. The ability of the device in question to cause barotrauma was confirmed by bench-top measurements of the peak airway pressures generated by minor deviations from proper use of the device.
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Acute Respiratory Failure-III
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Assessment:
1. Clinical Evaluation:
History:
Pneumothorax-I
Pneumothorax can be even further classified as spontaneous, traumatic, and tension pneumothorax.
Pneumothorax-II
Clinical Manifestations:
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation II: ACLS Airway Management
Pneumothorax II: Pathophysiology

