OBJECTIVE: The manual resuscitator (RM) is a device that provides positive pressure ventilation. Surveys conducted to assess the adequacy of manual resuscitators to American Society for Testing and Materials standards show that several factors affect manual ventilation. However, results are conflicting. The aim of this study was to verify evidence of factors that influence pediatric/adult pulmonary ventilation with manual resuscitator by a systematic review. DATA SOURCE: Original articles indexed in Medline, Lilacs and SciELO published from January 1986 to March 2011. The key-words used were: "manual resuscitator", "manual ventilation", "positive pressure ventilation" in Portuguese and English, as well as "bag-valve". DATA SYNTHESIS: 45 articles were selected, most of them experimental. The studies compared manual resuscitator brands and models, and analyzed the physical characteristics of professionals. The effectiveness of ventilation with manual resuscitator depends on the brand, model and functional characteristics of the equipment. Ventilation also varies with the education, training and experience of the professional who handles the equipment. Other factors that can influence effectiveness are the manual resuscitator compression form, the use of a pressure relief valve and the flow of oxygen provided to the manual resuscitator. CONCLUSIONS: The variability of ventilatory parameters during manual resuscitation does not allow a standardization of the technique, being harmful to cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Although most manual resuscitator seem to follow international standards, the equipment must be evaluated in the clinical settings. There are few studies about pediatric and neonatal manual resuscitator models.
ventilator; cardiopulmonary resuscitation; pulmonary ventilation
