Atos Medical ProTrach DualCare HME 15 Manual Del Usuario página 14

- Do evaluate, per physician direction, if changing to a
smaller tracheostomy tube is indicated to provide suffi cient
airfl ow to allow use of the Speaking Valve.
- Do evaluate patients with thick unmanageable secretions that
may cause airway obstructions for use of the Speaking Valve.
- Do evaluate patient experiencing diffi culty utilizing the
Speaking Valve, as the patient may have airway obstructions
due to stenosis, tissue mass, tracheomalacia, granulation,
vocal cord paralysis in the midline position, secretions,
or a tracheostomy tube that is oversized for the patient's
trachea. If obstruction is corrected, the patient should be
re-evaluated for the Speaking Valve.
General
(HME 15 and 22 in combination with either Speaking Valve
or HME DigiTop).
Do
- Do make sure that patients with severe pulmonary diseases,
e.g. lung emphysema, severe asthma etc. are examined and
evaluated by a clinician to ensure suitability before they
start using the device.
- Do make sure that the patient or caregiver always has the
ability to remove the device quickly from the tracheostomy
tube if needed. Coughing up a lot of mucus may suddenly
block or nearly block the tube or HME.
- Do make sure that the patient, caregiver and others
understand the closing function and the use of the holes.
Do explain that blocking the holes in the Speaking Valve
or the HME DigiTop by clothing, for example, may cause
diffi culty in breathing or suffocation.
Do not
- Do not bathe or swim with the device (Figure 4a or 4b).
This could cause water to enter the airways. The speaking
devices do not prevent this in any mode.
- Do not use the device if it has been damaged or contaminated.
- Do not remove the foam from the HME. Using the
device without the foam increases the risk of aspiration
of small device parts, it may also negatively impact valve
functionality due to direct mucus contact, and also without
the foam the important HME function is lost.
- Do not reuse the HME, e.g. by washing it. By washing the
HME the important HME function is lost. Reuse can also
increase the risk of infection.
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