Health Sciences · Hospital for Sick Children
A short, curved length of dark rubber hose with a corrugated surface. The hose has metal connectors at either end that have a metallic finish. At one end of the hose, the metal connector has several grooves around its circumference and terminates in a small frame consisting of two loops arranged perpendicular to each other. This end is for attaching a flexible squeeze bulb, with the frame preventing the bag from kinking and blocking respiration.
The opposite end terminates in a metal connector, a modified Noseworthy connection. This curves 90° away from the centre of the tube. Part of this metal component, a small metal tube, extends backwards opposite the main opening. This is an oxygen inlet. There is a yellow band around the bend in the metal connector, and a second band near where the connector joins the rubber tube.
The rubber tube has become stiff and brittle with age.
Accession Number: 2025.sk.33
Alternative Name:
Primary Materials: Metal, Rubber.
Engraved on a flat portion of the rim of the metal band near the mouth of the connector with the curves 90° bend: “MIE London”
Dimensions (cm): Height = 21, Width = 3, Length =18.
Bag-Valve-Mask Ventilation (BVM) ventilation is a form of mechanical ventilation in which the patient with inadequate or absent respiration is assisted using positive pressure from a squeeze bulb. This can be supplemented with a supply of oxygen. The procedure is regularly used in medical emergencies.
This is a piece of the overall apparatus. The squeeze bulb, mask, and oxygen tubing are missing.
The rubber hose is stiff and brittle with fine cracks along its surface. There is a substantial crack hear the centre of the hose. The protective finish of the metal ends is worn resulting in spots of green corrosion.
This is a piece of the overall apparatus.
Associated Instruments:
Medical Industrial Equipment Limited (M.I.E). London, England
Date of Manufacture: Mid 20th c.
Provenance:
Sylvère Hugonnot, Abdo Khoury, Johan Cossus, Alban De Luca, Thibaut Desmettre, Fatimata Seydou Sall, and Gilles Capellier. (2014). “From Mouth-to-Mouth to Bag-Valve-Mask Ventilation : Evolution and Characteristics of Actual Devices—A Review of the Literature.” Edited by Peter Cameron. BioMed Research International 2014 (2014): 1–6.
Bag-Valve-Mask Ventilation was invented in the 1950s by the German doctor Holger Hesse and Danish anesthetist Henning Ruben. It remains a standard procedure (see Hugonnot et al. 2014).
The apparatus to which this hose belonged was referred to at Sick Kids Hospital as and “MIE”. This is a reference to the manufacturer, Medical Industrial Equipment Limited of London, England, which was a major supplier of anesthesia equipment to British and commonwealth hospitals.