Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Aug 1998
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialPreservation of humidity and heat of respiratory gases in spontaneously breathing, tracheostomized patients.
Ventilation with endotracheal intubation bypasses the upper airway and the normal heat and moisture exchanging process of inspired gases. A continuous loss of moisture and heat occurs and predisposes patients to serious airway damage. We therefore prospectively studied one heated humidifier system, one cold humidifier system and one heat and moisture exchanger in spontaneously breathing, tracheostomized intensive care unit patients to determine the ability to preserve patients' heat and water. ⋯ In spontaneously breathing, tracheostomized intensive care unit patients, the Trach-Vent heat and moisture exchanger and the Aerodyne heated system achieved satisfactorily preservation of heat and humidity of inspired gases.