Abstract
The human airways have an important role in heating and humidifying inspired gas and recovering heat and moisture from expired gas.
When there is respiratory failure resulting in hypoxemia (type I respiratory failure) and, sometimes, hypercapnia (type II respiratory failure), the available therapies are represented by oxygen therapy and mechanical ventilation.
Oxygen supplementation often takes the form of a low-flow nasal cannula (LFNC); however, there are limitations to this supplemental oxygen intervention. A traditional nasal cannula can effectively provide only up to 4–6 L per minute of supplemental oxygen.
The efficacy of LFNC is limited, because of nasal mucosal irritation, there is an increased potential for bleeding with prolonged use, and also there are high levels of leaking air around the oxygen source.
High-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) therapy is an oxygen supply system carried out through dedicated devices or through mechanical ventilation, and it is capable of delivering up to 100% humidified and heated oxygen.
Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is usually delivered through a nasal or oronasal mask. Like during spontaneous breathing, patients under NIV require adequate humidification and heating of the inspired air.
Two types of devices for conditioning inspired gases in the presence or absence of an artificial airway are available: heat and moisture exchangers (HME) and active humidifiers.
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Battaglia, E.G., Roma, E. (2023). Humidification in Noninvasive Mechanical Ventilation and High-Flow Oxygen. In: Esquinas, A.M., De Vito, A., Barbetakis, N. (eds) Upper Airway Disorders and Noninvasive Mechanical Ventilation. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-32487-1_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-32487-1_14
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