Bag Valve Masks & Resuscitators

Bag Valve Masks

A bag valve mask (BVM), sometimes referred to as an Ambu bag or generically as a manual resuscitator or resuscitator bag, is a handheld first aid tool used to deliver positive pressure ventilation to any subject who is not breathing or not breathing adequately. When performing CPR with an Ambu bag it is imperative to maintain a good mask seal. An Ambu bag consists of a self-inflating bag, a one-way valve, a mask, and an oxygen reservoir. Ambu bags are an important part of first-aid and crash-care kits and are used for emergency airway management. Since the lung volume of children and adults differs greatly, it is important to use an appropriate BVM resuscitator for manual ventilation. Manufacturers, such as Ambu or Söhngen, offer BMV for adults, BVM for children and BMV for infants. The volume of Ambu bags is usually between 200 ml and 1500 ml - depending on the manufacturer and design.

Disposable or Reusable BVM?

In our online medical shop you may purchase both reusable and disposable resuscitation bags. Both products have advantages and disadvantages and the choice usually comes down to how often the Ambu bag is needed. For GPs who rarely have to administer emergency patient care, e.g. CPR, a disposable bag is more suitable; emergency responders and first aiders, on the other hand, usually opt for a reusable bag.

The primary advantage of a single-use resuscitation bag is that it can be disposed of in its entirety after use, including the disposable resuscitation mask. There can be no transmission of infection due to inadequate reprocessing, and the costs for personnel and materials that would be incurred in reprocessing are also eliminated. Disposable resuscitator bags are therefore ideal for anyone who needs to keep a bag on hand but rarely needs it.

Reusable resuscitation bags offer the advantage that a new bag does not have to be ordered repeatedly, as these resuscitation bags can be used for months or even years with good care. If reprocessed correctly, infection transmission is eliminated and the bags are immediately ready for re-use after autoclaving. Reusable resuscitator bags are suitable for anyone who uses a resuscitation bag regularly and wants to avoid time-consuming reordering and reduce costs.

Ambu Bag - The Classic from Denmark

Ambu is one of the leading manufacturers in the field of resuscitation equipment. In our shop you will find, for example, the Ambu Mark IV bag valve mask. This BVM is a durable, high-quality product for medical professionals and is available in two different variants - one for adults and one for infants and babies.

The Ambu Mark IV is has a double-chamber structure to allow the user to see the ventilation pressure during resuscitation. This technique protects the patient from excessive ventilation pressure, which could cause bloating of the stomach or regurgitation and aspiration. The BVM with single-shutter valve system is delivered with a mask.

In addition to the reusable Mark IV bag valve mask resuscitator, we offer the Ambu Spur II disposable BVM with single-shutter valve system. It does not need to be reprocessed in order to prevent infectious transmission between patients. The Spur II disposable BVM Resuscitator is available for adults, children and infants. Depending on the variant, the disposable resuscitators differ not only in the size of the oxygen reservoir bag, but also in valve and face mask size. Purchase original Spur II and Mark IV Ambu bags and the matching accessories at Praxisdienst.

Manual Resuscitator Accessories at a Glance:

Bag Valve Masks with PEEP Valve

Many bag valve masks are either directly equipped with a PEEP Valve or they can be used in combination with one. The valve creates positive end-expiratory pressure and increases the functional residual capacity and the gas exchange surface area. This improves oxygen saturation during ventilation.

Bag-Mask Ventilation with Resuscitation Filter

To protect the patient and the BVM from cross-contamination and cross-infection, the resuscitator should be equipped with a special resuscitation filter. Depending on the design, these special filters retain up to 99.99 % of bacteria and viruses and thus offer excellent protection for the patient. In this category you will find a large selection of bacteria/virus filters from well-known manufacturers at favourable prices.

Oxygen Reservoirs to Increase Oxygen Concentration

The Oxygen Reservoir is connected to the manual resuscitator when a higher oxygen concentration is needed during ventilation. The oxygen is led through an oxygen tube into the oxygen reservoir, where it can be used for the patient. While reservoir bags are usually used for adult bags, reservoir tubes are often used for infant or neonate resuscitators.

BMV, Masks & Accessories at Affordable Prices

In this category we offer a large selection of BVM supplies for first aid bag-valve-mask ventilation, such as the Ambu Mark IV or the Ambu SPUR II Ambu bags, as well as resuscitation bag sets which, in addition to the bag, contain the corresponding resuscitation mask and oxygen reservoir.

In the Praxisdienst Medical Shop you will also find a range of resuscitation masks: we stock disposable face masks, reusable masks, ventilation masks, laryngeal masks, anaesthetic face masks, hyperventilation masks, as well as a wide range of accessories from catheter mounts to soda lime.

In the overview of the Emergency category, you will also find resuscitation products like CPR resuscitation masks, patient monitoring equipment and first aid supplies.

Editors: Anne-Catherine Fadler & Karen Lebowski