The simple face mask (SFM) is a basic disposable mask, made of clear plastic, to provide

oxygen therapy Oxygen therapy, also known as supplemental oxygen, is the use of oxygen as medical treatment. Acute indications for therapy include hypoxemia (low blood oxygen levels), carbon monoxide toxicity and cluster headache. It may also be prophylactica ...

for patients who are experiencing conditions such as

chest pain Chest pain is pain or discomfort in the chest, typically the front of the chest. It may be described as sharp, dull, pressure, heaviness or squeezing. Associated symptoms may include pain in the shoulder, arm, upper abdomen, or jaw, along with n ...

(possible heart attacks),

dizziness Dizziness is an imprecise term that can refer to a sense of disorientation in space, vertigo, or lightheadedness. It can also refer to disequilibrium or a non-specific feeling, such as giddiness or foolishness. Dizziness is a common medical c ...

, and minor

hemorrhage Bleeding, hemorrhage, haemorrhage or blood loss, is blood escaping from the circulatory system from damaged blood vessels. Bleeding can occur internally, or externally either through a natural opening such as the mouth, nose, ear, urethra, vag ...

s. This mask is only meant for patients who are able to breathe on their own, but who may require a higher oxygen concentration than the 21% concentration found in ambient air. Patients who are unable to breathe on their own are placed on a

medical ventilator A ventilator is a piece of health technology, medical technology that provides mechanical ventilation by moving breathable air into and out of the lungs, to deliver breaths to a patient who is physically unable to breathe, or breathing insuffici ...

instead. The simple face mask can deliver higher flow rates than nasal cannula (6–10 liters per minute) for an

FiO2 Fraction of inspired oxygen (''FI''O2), corrected denoted with a capital "I", is the molar or volumetric fraction of oxygen in the inhaled gas. Medical patients experiencing difficulty breathing are provided with oxygen-enriched air, which means a ...

of 40–60% oxygen. Nasal cannula and simple face masks are described as low flow delivery systems. Unlike the non-rebreather and partial rebreather masks, the simple face mask lacks a reservoir bag. It also has holes in the mask instead of the non-rebreather's one-way valves, so ambient air can enter the mask. This feature eliminates the danger of suffocation present if a mask with one-way valves becomes disconnected from oxygen. Therefore, the simple face mask is commonly preferred by basic life support personnel such as firefighters, lifeguards and other non-medical rescue personnel trained in basic first aid. The final oxygen concentration delivered by a simple face mask is dependent upon the amount of room air that mixes with the oxygen the patient breathes. The air mixing is determined by how much air any individual is breathing at the moment, combined with the fit of the mask. Because of the variability in these factors, the final oxygen concentration is somewhat uncontrolled. A venturi device attached to the mask can be used to control to some degree the concentration of oxygen delivered; usually this is used to prevent hypoxia in

emphysema Emphysema, or pulmonary emphysema, is a lower respiratory tract disease, characterised by air-filled spaces ( pneumatoses) in the lungs, that can vary in size and may be very large. The spaces are caused by the breakdown of the walls of the alve ...

patients who have lost the ability to fully

inhale Inhalation (or Inspiration) happens when air or other gases enter the lungs. Inhalation of air Inhalation of air, as part of the cycle of breathing, is a vital process for all human life. The process is autonomic (though there are exceptions ...

. The effectiveness of the therapy can be continuously monitored using a

pulse oximeter Pulse oximetry is a noninvasive method for monitoring a person's oxygen saturation. Peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) readings are typically within 2% accuracy (within 4% accuracy in 95% of cases) of the more accurate (and invasive) reading o ...

, though more clinically useful data can be obtained by drawing

arterial blood gas An arterial blood gas (ABG) test, or arterial blood gas analysis (ABGA) measures the amounts of arterial gases, such as oxygen and carbon dioxide. An ABG test requires that a small volume of blood be drawn from the radial artery with a syringe an ...

References

Medical masks {{medical-equipment-stub