Any treatment involving the administering of oxygen, e.g. in an oxygen tent or in emergency treatment for heart failure.
The administration of oxygen for the treatment of conditions resulting from oxygen deficiency. It is used to combat acute arterial hypoxia that may result from pneumonia, pulmonary edema, or obstruction to breathing. It is also employed in congestive heart failure, coronary thrombosis, and after surgery.
The administration of oxygen at higher levels than are normally found in the atmosphere to patients needing enhanced tissue oxygen uptake. Oxygen can be administered via nasal prongs, Venturi masks, nonrebreathing devices, positive pressure masks, endotracheal tubes, Ambu bags, mist tents, or in airtight or hyperbaric chambers, depending on the needs of the patient. Each of these modes of therapy has its own benefits and limitations. Nasal cannulae facilitate speaking and eating, but can only deliver oxygen concentrations up to 40%. Venturi masks can deliver somewhat more oxygen (approximately 50%) and they can deliver oxygen concentrations more precisely than nasal devices, but they interfere with some communication and oral intake. The highest levels of noninvasive oxygen therapy are delivered by nonrebreather masks (about 90%). One hundred percent oxygen can be given through endotracheal tubes, but patients often are uncomfortable or hemodynamically unstable with these devices and may need sedation or paralytic or pressor drugs to support them. Positive-pressure masks can be used to administer oxygen therapy, but they are not tolerated by some patients because of claustrophobia and poor adaptation to the fit of the mask. Supplemental oxygen is also available for home use through an oxygen concentrator that uses a method called a “molecular sieve” to remove nitrogen from room air.
The utilization of oxygen in sundry configurations to foster curative processes, founded on the principle that the oxygen would eradicate harmful microorganisms dwelling in the physical structure.
The procedure of providing an individual with air enriched with oxygen to alleviate severe hypoxia (insufficient oxygen in bodily tissues). Typically, this oxygen is dispensed through either a face-mask or a nasal cannula (a slender plastic tube with dual prongs inserted into the nostrils). The oxygen concentration in the air can be adjusted to match the patient’s requirements. In hospital settings, oxygen is delivered through pipelines, while portable oxygen cylinders are employed when the patient is mobile. Long-term therapy is employed for individuals with ongoing hypoxia resulting from conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.