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SUMMARY
Nasopharyngeal oxygen (NPO) therapy may overcome some of the difficulties associated with nasal prongs and facemask oxygen delivery devices. In response to a lack of published studies of NPO therapy in adults, we conducted a prospective randomised crossover trial to compare the effectiveness of NPO, nasal prongs (NP) and facemasks (FM) when used in an adult population (n=37) from the intensive care unit and general hospital wards. We measured oxygen saturation (SpO^sub 2^) using pulse oximetry, oxygen flow (litres per minute), respiration rate (per minute) and comfort using a horizontal visual analogue scale. All three devices were effective in maintaining a SpO^sub 2^ of ≥95% (NP 97.0±1.9, NPO 97.7±1.7, FM 98.8±1.3%). NPO therapy consumed less oxygen than NP and FM therapy (NP 2.6±1.0, NPO 2.2±0.9, FM 6.1±0.4 l/min, P <0.001). There was no significant difference in patients' respiratory rates (NP 19.9±3.2, NPO 19.9±3.0, FM 19.8±3.1 per minute, P=0.491). In terms of comfort, patients rated NP higher than NPO and FM using a horizontal visual analogue scale (100 mm=most comfortable) (NP 65.5±14.3, NPO62.8±19.4, FM 49.4±21.4 mm, P <0.001). We conclude that for adult patients, nasal prongs and nasopharyngeal oxygen therapy consume less oxygen and provide greater comfort than facemasks while still maintaining SpO^sub 2^ ≥95%.
Key Words: nasopharyngeal oxygen, nasal prongs, facemask oxygen
Low-flow oxygen therapy devices such as nasal prongs (NP) and simple facemasks (FM) are commonly used in clinical practice. Nasopharyngeal oxygen (NPO) therapy, the delivery of supplemental oxygen directly into the nasopharynx via an oxygen catheter, may overcome some of the difficulties associated with NP and FM oxygen delivery devices. There are few published studies on the use of NPO therapy in adult patients'. To understand whether increased use of NPO therapy in adult patients is a feasible alternative to NP and FM, we conducted a prospective randomised crossover trial. The primary outcome measures were: 1) oxygen saturation (SpO2) using pulse oximetry, 2) oxygen flow (litres per minute), 3) respiration rate (per minute) and 4) comfort using a horizontal visual analogue scale (HVAS).
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Following institutional ethics committee approval, adult patients from the intensive care unit and general hospital wards of two metropolitan hospitals in Melbourne, Australia, were recruited. Data were collected between February and September 2007. Eligible...