A new device for 100 per cent humidification of inspired air

Description

A new humidifier for use during mechanical ventilation in endotracheally intubated patients is described and tested. The humidifier is based on a heat-moisture exchanger, which absorbs the expired heat and moisture and releases it into the inspired air. External heat and water are then added at the patient side of the heat-moisture exchanger, so that the inspired gas should reach 100% humidity (44 mg/l) at 37°C. In bench tests using constant and decelerating inspiratory flow and minute volumes of 3–25 l the device gave an absolute humidity of 41–44 mg/l, and it reduced the amount of water consumed in eight mechanically ventilated patients compared with a conventional active humidifier. During a 24-h test period there was no water condensation in the ventilator tubing with the new device.

Resources

Name Format Description Link
21 Visit the original government dataset for complete information, documentation, and data access. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC29037/

Tags

  • airway-humidification
  • nih
  • respiratory-therapy
  • mechanical-ventilation
  • heat-moisture-exchanger

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