Adult Sotair Flow Limiting Device

Adult Sotair Flow Limiting Device

Sotair® is SafeBVM’s flagship, award-winning flow-control device, supported by funding from the NIH, NSF, and the U.S. Military.

Sotair is a small, lightweight valve that fits between a manual resuscitator and a patient mask or airway. It limits inspiratory flow to approximately 55 L/min, helping keep manual ventilation within safer limits without added cognitive load—no dials, screens, or adjustments to manage.

By regulating flow, Sotair helps reduce excessive airway pressures, tidal volumes, and ventilation rates, minimizing the risk of over-pressurization, over-ventilation, and hyperventilation. Delivered pressure automatically adapts to patient lung compliance and airway resistance, remaining below ~20 cmH₂O in healthy adults, with higher pressures (20–30+ cmH₂O) available when clinically required in conditions such as COPD, asthma, or ARDS.

Unlike traditional pressure-relief (pop-off) valves, which vent gas when higher pressures are required—such as during airway obstruction or chest compressions—Sotair preserves delivered volume while keeping pressures within safer limits. When used with supraglottic airways, this controlled pressure delivery helps maintain the airway seal, improving ventilation safety and bringing SGAs closer to a functional definitive airway.

If the bag is squeezed too fast or too forcefully and flow exceeds ~55 L/min, Sotair creates resistance and provides immediate tactile, auditory, and visual feedback, prompting the provider to correct their squeeze and deliver safer, more consistent ventilation.

More information and references: https://safebvm.com/sotair/

Adult Sotair Flow Limiting Device Features

• Fits between a manual resuscitator and patient mask or airway
• Compatible with standard adult BVMs and airway accessories
• Limits inspiratory flow to 55 L/min, preventing rapid or forceful bag squeezes
• Automatically adapts delivered pressure based on patient lung compliance and airway resistance
• Regulates airflow to help reduce excessive airway pressures, tidal volumes, and ventilation rates
• Acts as a forcing function, guiding providers to deliver safer, more consistent manual ventilation
• No dials, screens, or adjustments required during ventilation
• Provides immediate tactile and auditory feedback with visual cues for real-time correction
• Requires ~30 seconds of training; FDA 510(k) cleared for adult, single-patient use