Resp Care
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Prefilled disposable oxygen humidification units have been shown to decrease the likelihood of contamination when compared to reusable oxygen humidification units. However, prefilled disposable humidifiers are expensive when used for single patients, especially in areas of high turnover, and it is not known whether these units need to be routinely changed before they are empty. The number of patients safely using a prefilled disposable humidifier has not been documented in previously reported work. Are patients at risk of nosocomial infections due to cross-contamination when prefilled disposable oxygen humidifiers are applied to multi-patient use? What are the cost benefits of multiple patient use of prefilled disposable oxygen humidifiers? When local practice or physician preference dictates the use of humidification for low-flow oxygen, these questions need to be answered. ⋯ Our results show that prefilled disposable oxygen humidifiers can be used without cross-contamination, on multiple patients, for a period of 1 month. The use of prefilled humidifiers in this way represents a substantial cost saving when compared to reusable humidifiers.