An oxygen hood is a machine made by Oxygen Hood Manufacturers that is used to transport supplemental oxygen to neonates. It is made up of a see-through, plastic insert that covers the head of the infant, leaving the rest of the body available for other kinds of care. Oxygen is transported through large-bore tubing that is linked to the hood. It can deliver a steady FiO2 ranging from 21% to 100%.
The design of an oxygen hood is valuable because the newborn can receive a controlled concentration of oxygen while being positioned in a natural updraft environment, such as an incubator.
Signals
The most shared signals for using an oxygen hood to treat infants include:
- To deliver extra oxygen
- To treat or stop hypoxemia
- To deliver a controlled FiO2
- To deliver heated moisture
- To achieve an oxygen challenge examination
Oxygen hoods are helpful because they can deliver a stable FiO2 while the infant is in a controlled environment. They are even more steady than oxygen tents, which are another kind of oxygen-delivering machine used with infants.
Dangers
There are certain dangers and hitches related to using an oxygen hood supplied by Oxygen Hood Suppliers. Some of the most common instances comprise:
- Limited agility
- Limited entry to the head
- Hypoxemia when unlocking the hood
- Problems from extreme oxygen delivery
- Skin annoyance
- Cutaneous mycological contagions
- Hearing damages
Agility becomes a feature when an infant is positioned in an oxygen hood for long periods, which can cause difficulties if the infant is in the necessity of oxygen. When the oxygen hood is in use, it leaves a restricted entree to the head. And if the hood is unlocked, a lesser amount of oxygen is transferred, which can consequence in hypoxemia. An unsuitably sized hood can cause skin annoyance around the infant’s neck. This can also happen if the patient is highly energetic while inside the hood.
Lastly, oxygen hoods require high gas streams that yield high noise levels inside the enclosure. This can steer to hearing loss if used for long periods.
Safeguards
Although there are many advantages of using an oxygen hood, there are also certain defenses that need to be taken. As earlier mentioned, oxygen hoods can transport stable concentrations of oxygen to the infant. Though, if there is an interruption or loss of gas flow to the hood, it can outcome in serious problems and even death. That is why an oxygen analyzer must be used at all times in instruction to unceasingly monitor the concentration of oxygen inside the hood. The respiratory therapist is accountable for upholding the proper alarms on the analyzer that will sound if the oxygen levels drop below a confidence point.
Another safeguard to take is to make sure that the hood bought from Oxygen Hood Manufacturers is correctly sized for the infant. If it is too slight, it can reason skin irritation.
If it is too large, it can outcome in an improper seal, which can lead to a loss of oxygen. It is also significant to screen the infant’s vital signs, such as heart rate, breathing rate, and oxygen saturation levels. If the values fall outside of the usual ranges, it could be an indication of a serious breathing ailment.
