Oxygen therapy strategies and techniques to treat hypoxia in COVID-19 patients

B. Jiang, H. Wei

Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA. Huafeng.wei@pennmedicine.upenn.edu

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• Infectious Diseases

OBJECTIVE: Hypoxia is one of the primary causes that leads to multiple organ injuries and death in COVID-19 patients. Aggressive oxygen therapy for the treatment of hypoxia is important in saving these patients. We have summarized the mechanisms, efficacy, and side effects of various oxygen therapy techniques and their status or the potential to treat hypoxia in COVID-19 patients. The benefit to risk ratio of each oxygen therapy technique and strategy to use them in COVID-19 patients are discussed. High flow nasal cannula oxygen (HFNO) should be considered a better choice as an early stage oxygen therapy. Supraglottic jet oxygenation and ventilation (SJOV) is a promising alternative for HFNO with potential benefits.

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