<< At 04:57 PM 6/2/97 +0200, you wrote:
>Thank you to people in the list that has answered to my question about
>humidification (Blane, Eric and Cindysan). Iīm recently connected to
>Internet and it seems incredible to me how easy is to connect people so
>far. Itīs a great experience and undoubtedly (at least in my opinion) the
>best thing of the net.
>I have another question (well..I have really hundreds of questions but i
>donīt want to overwhelm you). What do you think is the best way to get
>phonation with the trach? A cuffless tube? Speaking valve systems like
>Passy-Muir?
>I have a question for Blane. You say that you use your vent by means of a
>trach since 1982. Did you use before another form of ventilation like face
>mask or mouth piece ventilation? I have a patient with SMA. He is 17 years
>old and he started ventilation with a face mask 3 years ago. He goes very
>well (really he improved a lot since he started ventilation) but I think in
>the future he probably will need a trach. What do you think about talking
>this aspect to the patient, not waiting to the last moment? I have a good
>experience with another patient with a Duchenne miopathy. He was ventilated
>non invasively by nasal mask during 2 years but he finally needed a trach.
>We have talked about this in advance when he was using the mask and my
>impression is that itīs helpful for both (patient and doctor) to talk about
>it, preparing the future. He is now confortable with the trach, without
>problems till the moment.
>Well, I think itīs enough for this time. Greetings to everybody and thanks
>again
>
>Jose Maria Quiroga
>Home Mechanical Ventilation Unit
>Hospital Central de Asturias
>Spain >>
Dear Dr. Quiroga,
I am fairly new to the trach/vent world having had mine since respiratory
failure in 1996. I have COPD, scoliosis, and severe sleep apnea. Use my vent
at night and while napping with 02 routed thru vent and 02 during the day.
The only humidity that I require is the humidifier bottle on my oxygen
concentrator during the day and the "artificial nose" on my vent at night. I
will occasionally do trach lavage with saline bullets if I am exceptionally
dry.
I have a #6 Shiley uncuffed trach so I am able to talk with my vent if a bit
jerkily. During the day I use the passy-muir and the old "plug the hole with
the finger trick".
I have no trouble obtaining volume as my husband and son will testify to. :)
Regards,
Wicky Teeters