NIV Masks

Finding the

One That’s

Just Right

by Kathy Wechsler

Once upon a time, there was a young woman named Goldilocks. She went to visit her MDA clinic for an appointment with a respiratory therapist (RT) because her doctor said she needed help to breathe better.

Goldilocks was going to try on a variety of noninvasive ventilation (NIV) interfaces and find the one that was just right.

An interface is the equipment that delivers air from a ventilator into the body. Some models fit over the mouth and nose, some fit just over the nose or just over the mouth, and some fit inside the nose or mouth.

Some masks are designed for use only with volume ventilators and others for bilevel positive air-