Humidifiers for Ventilators- Uses and Maintenance

Humidification is done in respiration therapy to add moisture and sometimes heat to the inspiratory air as the air output coming of the Ventilator is dry. Humidification is done to maintain the normal physiological conditions in the body. The dry air more than 4 lpm if forced into the lungs cause immediate loss of water and heat. The unit of humidity is mg/litre.
Humidifier is a device that adds molecular water to the air.

1. Let’s Learn Health Technology in Health Technology Management Series Topic-Humidifiers Health technology  is defined by the World  Health  Organization as the "application of organized knowledge and skills in the form of devices, medicines, vaccines, procedures, and systems developed to solve a  health  problem and improve quality of lives“

2. Humidifiers for Mechanical Ventilation-Introduction, Application and Maintenance Dr. S.B.Sinha- Ex President Biomedical Engineering Society of India Heath Technology Management Series

3. Humidity Humidity- The water vapour present in the air makes the air moist known as humidity. Humidification is done in respiration therapy to add moisture and sometimes heat to the inspiratory air as the air output coming of the Ventilator is dry. Humidification is done to maintain the normal physiological conditions in the body. The dry air more than 4 lpm if forced into the lungs cause immediate loss of water and heat. The unit of humidity is mg/ litre .

4. Humidity- Absolute and Relative

5. Humidifiers

6. Dry air without Humidifiers-Humidity deficit

7. Effect of heated humidifiers-Increase in AH at the patient end

8. Humidifiers with heated wire Servo controlled humidifiers are with a heated wire that senses temperature at the patient end and at the humidifier inlet and prevent condensation in the circuit.

9. Humidifier Types Active Humidifier- Active humidifiers act by allowing air passage inside a heated water reservoir. These devices are placed in the inspiratory limb of the ventilator circuit, proximal to the ventilator. After the air is loaded with water vapor in the reservoir, it travels along the inspiratory limb to the patient’s airway. As condensation of water vapor may accumulate as the surrounding temperature of the inspiratory limb decreases, these systems are used with the addition of water traps, which require frequent evacuation to avoid risk of contamination of the circuit.  Passive Humidifier- Utilises patients’ own temperature and hydration to achieve humidification in successive breaths.

10. Active Humidifiers

11. Active Humidifiers-Types

12. Bubble type Humidifiers

13. Passover Humidifier

14. Passover- Reservoir Type

15. Heated Humidifiers

16. Heat Moisture Exchanger Considered to be a passive humidifier. Traps heat and humidity in exhalation and uses the same during inspiration. Types include simple condenser, hygroscopic/ hydrophobic condenser

17. HME

18. Humidifier uses guides

19. Troubleshooting

20. Humidifier Troubleshooting- Contd…

21. Humidifier troubleshooting contd..

22. THANKS Thanks for listening Q/A