What is the function of an air blender in an oxygen delivery device?

Hello doctor,

I am writing to get a better understanding of oxygen delivery devices. My daughter was highly premature, she is 5-months-old now, and apart from her oxygen requirements, she is doing fine. She has severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) because of her prematurity, luckily, she had an echocardiogram, and the cardiologist said her pressure is within the normal range, so luckily, no pH (for now). However, I am confused, and I am not sure I understand how the oxygen devices work. She is on Optiflow using a FiO2 blender. She is on 5 LPM, between 21 % and 30 %. She is on 30 % when she is asleep, but she only needs a low percentage when she is awake. Sometimes, the nurses remove the Optiflow to breathe room air, and she can manage to breathe without any desats for a few hours (between two and six hours) depending on some days. My question is; what is this air blender? How does it work? I am confused because many parents I spoke to from other countries only refer to LPM, so when I tell them about the percentage of the air blender, they do not understand what I am talking about. Can someone explain what an air blender does? My friend also had a preemie, and he told me that his son came home on 0.1 liters. Some say they go home on 2 L, but they never talk about percentage? What is the difference? If my daughter is on 5 L, between 23 % and 25 %. If they were to reduce the LPM, how many percentages would that be? I am so confused. Thank you for being so helpful.

Hello doctor,

Yes, that makes perfect sense, and now I understand the differences. So, if someone is on 5 liters per minute (LPM) at 23 % on the blender, does that mean they are getting more than 5 LPM if it was on a simple meter? Or does that mean they are getting 23 % off 5 LPM? Thank you, doctor. Best regards.