Blackstone BVM Resuscitator

Emergency departments and resuscitation rooms use the Blackstone BVM resuscitator to breathe for patients in cardiac or respiratory arrest, and for those whose own breathing has become too weak. The adult size goes on the crash trolley with the child size beside it, so a team reaching for the bag also reaches the right mask. With an oxygen line running to the reservoir, each breath carries oxygen-enriched gas from the first squeeze, and the bag keeps refilling between breaths while the mask stays sealed.

Ambulance crews carry it in their kit bags, where it works without power and draws oxygen from a portable cylinder when one is connected. It also travels with patients moved between departments, so breaths continue by hand on the way. Paediatric emergency departments, children's wards and delivery suites keep the child and infant sizes, since a smaller bag limits the breath a full squeeze can give.

Operating theatres, recovery areas, endoscopy suites, dental surgeries and clinics keep it in their emergency kits for the rare moment it is needed, which suits a resuscitator with nothing to charge between uses.

Good ventilation depends on the person holding it. A seal over the nose and mouth keeps each breath going into the lungs, and two rescuers share the work when one cannot hold the seal alone. Squeezes that are too large or too fast can push air into the stomach, so give each breath steadily until the chest rises.

Patients who need ventilation for hours or days, and patients who breathe well enough and only need extra oxygen, call for a ventilator or an oxygen mask.

A size for each patient

Adult, child, and infant bags cover patients from adults to babies.

Breaths kept in proportion

A full squeeze of a smaller bag gives a smaller breath, matching the patient's size.

Masks that follow the bag

Each size has its own face mask, chosen together with the bag.

Refills on its own

The bag springs back after every squeeze, so it refills without any gas supply.

Oxygen when it is available

A reservoir behind the intake lets each refill take up oxygen from a connected line.

Exhaled gas kept out

The one-way patient valve sends exhaled breath out through its port, away from the bag.

Nothing to power

It uses hand pressure, so there is no battery to charge between emergencies.

Ready without set-up

Choosing the size is the only step before the mask goes on the patient valve.

Self-inflating squeeze bag

The bag returns to shape after each squeeze.

Translucent bag

The bag is frosted and lets light through.

Three sizes

Adult, child and infant versions share one design.

One-way patient valve

Gas passes to the patient on each squeeze and cannot flow back into the bag.

Exhalation port

Breath leaving the patient escapes through the valve housing.

Face mask

A mask matched to the bag fits on the patient valve.

Rear intake valve

Fresh gas enters the bag here as it re-expands.

Reservoir bag connection

A reservoir fits behind the intake for oxygen enrichment.

Oxygen-enriched breaths

With oxygen running to the reservoir, each refill fills it with oxygen.

Room-air refill

Without oxygen, the bag refills with surrounding air.

Hand operation

One or two hands drive every breath.

No electrical parts

Nothing needs charging, connecting or switching on.

The Blackstone BVM resuscitator suits emergency departments, wards, ambulance crews and clinics that need hand ventilation ready for adults, children and infants. Its key feature is the fit between bag and patient: three sizes, each with its own mask, so a full squeeze of the smaller bags delivers a smaller breath. That fit depends on the right size being to hand, so units keep the sizes together. No CE or UKCA position is evidenced for this product. It gives breaths by hand, so a patient needing ventilation for hours needs a ventilator. Oxygen comes from a supply connected at the rear; without one, each breath is room air.