A nasal cannula is a flexible plastic tube with two prong-shaped openings that can be placed in the nostrils to deliver oxygen to the body through the nose. Oxygen (usually from a moist, humidified source) passes through the tube and into the nostrils.
Author:Debby Golonka, MPH
Medical Review:Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics
Kimberly Dow, MD, FRCPC - Neonatology
Kimberly Dow, MD, FRCPC - Neonatology
Last Updated: 05/15/2007
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