For a child with status asthmaticus receiving helium and oxygen, what could be the actual flow rate to the non-rebreathing mask if the flowmeter is set at 10L/min?

When considering the situation of a child with status asthmaticus receiving a mixture of helium and oxygen through a non-rebreathing mask, it’s important to understand how gases behave and how flow rates work with different gas mixtures. Helium has a much lower density than oxygen, which can affect the total flow characteristics.

In this scenario, if the flowmeter is set at 10 L/min, the actual flow rate that the patient receives can be enhanced due to the properties of helium, which allows for a lower resistance to flow and can facilitate greater total gas movement to the patient. The actual flow rate delivered to the patient will typically be higher than what's set on the flowmeter, because the characteristics of helium allow for a more efficient transport of air due to decreased turbulence and resistance.

The expected actual flow rate with helium and oxygen mixture using a non-rebreathing mask is often calculated to be between 1.5 to 2 times the flowmeter setting. In this case, setting the flowmeter at 10 L/min can lead to an effective flow rate between 15 to 20 L/min when mixed with helium. The specific answer of 16 L/min aligns well with the expected range as it reflects the resultant flow when factoring in the