A comparative study of humidification effect of wet heat exchanger and ultrasonic humidifier in patients with artificial airway in high altitude area / 中国实用护理杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To describes and compare the effect of humidity heat exchanger and ultrasound on artificial airway patients in a hospital at high altitude. Methods The patients with artificial airway admitted to the People's Hospital of Tibet Autonomous Region from August to December 2017 were divided into two groups according to the time of admission. A total of 125 patients in the humid heat exchanger group were humidified by the humid heat exchanger during the offline process. In the ultrasonic humidification group, 106 patients underwent airway humidification with an ultrasonic humidifier during weaning. After 24, 48 and 72 hours offline, sputum viscosity, eschar formation, airway temperature, PaO2 and PaCO2 were investigated. Results Before humidification , 1 day after humidification, 2 days after humidification and 3 days after humidification, the proportion of first degree sputum in the ultrasonic humidification group was 77.36% (82/106), 80.19% (85/106), 95.28% (101/106) and 99.06% (105/106), respectively. In the heat-moisture exchange group, 99.20% (124/125), 99.20% (124/125), 95.20% (119/125), 72.80% (94/125), respectively. There were differences between the two groups before, 1 day and 3 days after humidification. There was statistical significance (χ2=28.35, 24.06, 28.75, P<0.01). There was no significant difference in PaCO2 between the two groups (P>0.05). PaO 2 in the two and three days after humidification was (92.62 ± 5.76), (91.34 ± 4.85) mmHg, which was lower than that in the ultrasonic humidification group (97.38 ± 5.55), (99.16 ± 5.43) mmHg. There were significant differences between the two groups (t = 6.367, 11.558, P < 0.01). There were significant differences between the two groups (t=6.367, 11.558, P < 0.01). Conclusions The rate of eschar formation was higher in the wet heat exchanger group, and the frequency of sputum suction was higher in the ultrasonic wetting group.