A combination of a
bellows structure (12), volume restrictor, and pressure restrictor for use on a hand-operated
resuscitator is provided to enable delivery of ventilation within
specific volume and pressure limitations specified by the operator. The
bellows structure (12) consistently provides predictable and uniform generation of gas flow for ventilation without regard to one or two-handed technique, hand placement, or
hand size. The volume restrictor, primarily comprising of an inflow obturator (20), outflow obturator (22), and placement
cam (34), enables the physician to specify a specific
tidal volume to be delivered, which constitutes a volume-controlled
cycling capability of the invention. The pressure restrictor, primarily comprising of an outer housing (40), stopper housings (41), and a stopper (50), enables the physician to specify a specific maximum
airway pressure to be exposed to the patient, which constitutes a pressure-controlled
cycling capability of the invention.
Combined use of the volume and pressure restricting mechanisms can provide for various additional abilities, including limiting
airway pressure during volume-
controlled ventilation or providing a means to detect decreasing
pulmonary compliance.