Week 2- Tracheostomy Flashcards
upper airway components
Nose
Oral Cavity
Pharynx
Larynx
functions of upper airway
Heating/cooling inspired gas to body temperature
Filtering
Humidification
Smell
Phonation
Passage for ventilation
lower airway anatomy
Larynx (below the vocal cords)
Trachea
Bronchi
Bronchioles
Alveoli
functions of lower airway
Conducting airway for ventilation gas exchange
types of artificial airways
1.oropharyngeal airway
2. nasopharyngeal airway
3. ET tube
4. Naso-endotracheal tube
how to verify placement of ET tube and Naso endotracheal tube
assess bilateral breath sounds and auscultate over stomach to verify that the tube didn’t enter esophagus
not RN scope of practice to insert, unless additional (rural) education
Tracheostomy is an
incision into the trachea, creating a stoma or through which the airway is managed
surgical tracheostomy usually performed in
the OR but sometimes bedside in ICU
percutaneous tracheostomy
tube is inserted with the use of a scope with a light source via a needle and guidewire technique
cricothyroidotomy only performed in
emergency situations, not preferred due to proximity of the vocal cords
benefits of a trach tube vs endotracheal tube
- lower
- shorter
- easier
- more
- easier
- easier
- may
- lower risk of laryngeal and oral injury
- shorter ventilator warning time
- easier communication
- more comfortable
- easier to secure
- easier to do mouth care
- may start oral feeding sooner
indications for a tracheostomy
- Bypass airway obstruction at or above the level of the larynx
- Provide (long term) mechanical ventilation
- Facilitate the removal of secretions
- Protect the airway in patient at risk of aspiration
- Vocal cord paralysis
- Prevention of Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP)
complications of a trach
(8)
- Abnormal bleeding
- Tube dislodgement
- Obstructed tube/mucous plug
- Infection
- Subcutaneous emphysema
- Tracheo-esophageal fistula
- Tracheal stenosis
- Tracheal dilation
Types of tracheostomy tubes
cuffed trach
uncuffed
cuffed trach
- incorporates
- when placed with initial surgery it provides
- most have ____ cuffs
- an inflated cuff helps
- Balloon on the interior distal end of the tube that isolates the lower airway from the upper airway
- a stable airway until tract is established, patient is weaned off ventilator and is able to control secretions
- have “barrel” shaped high volume low-pressure cuffs to minimize the pressure on the tracheal mucosa and complications that occur with pressure necrosis
- protect against aspiration
cuffless trach
- used once
- may allow the pt to
- may facilitate
- may be
- can be used
- Used once patient can protect airway from aspiration, and no longer requires mechanical ventilation (except for long term ventilated patients)
- May allow the patient to speak if enough air passes above the tracheostomy tube through the vocal cords
- May facilitate oral feeding when compared to cuffed tubes while still providing access for suctioning
- May be plugged (corked) periodically if patient doesn’t require ventilation nor have upper airway obstruction
- Can be used long-term; much less chance of causing trans-tracheal damage
ADVANTAGES
cuffless trach
More comfortable for patient
May facilitate speaking
May facilitate eating
Progression towards decannulation
DISADVANTAGES
cuffless trachs
- Does not provide protection against aspiration
- Cannot provide adequate ventilation in event of Code Blue, or with surgery
- May dilute O2 received through trach mask or T-piece by mixing with room air O2 from upper airway
- Increases air leak (when used in long-term ventilated patients)
outer cannula
- Maintains patency of stoma
- Can be fenestrated (to allow
air into larynx and facilitate
speech
suction requires
non-fenestrated
inner cannula for suctioning
inner cannula
- can be
- what it is
- protects the
- ideal for
disposable, reusable, high or low profile, or fenestrated
A removable tube which secures inside the outer cannula
Protects the patency of the tracheostomy tube with proper cleaning and can be removed to restore patent airway if occluded
Ideal for safety purposes
obturator
- Blunt tip introducer to reduce trauma during tracheostomy tube insertion
- Fits inside the outer cannula
- Rounded tip
- Remove immediately after tracheostomy tube insertion
- Kept as part of emergency kit
tracheal plug
- Occludes tracheostomy tube to redirect air around instead of through tracheostomy tube for weaning
- May be a sealed inner cannula, a cap, or a separate plug
Flange/Face plate
- Stabilizes tracheostomy tube by preventing the outer cannula from descending further into the trachea
- Allows a place for ties/sutures to attach
- Has tracheotomy tube specs (tube code/type/size) written on it
- May have locking indicator
- Some tubes have adjustable flanges
pilot line/cuff inflation line
pilot valve
- Connects pilot balloon to cuff
- Spring loaded
Keeps air from leaking out of the
balloon/cuff
Spring needs to be depressed in order to add or remove air from cuff
pilot balloon
External balloon connected to the cuff via the pilot line
Indicates whether cuff is inflated or deflated
trach cuff
- Balloon at the distal end of the tube
- Provides a seal between the tube and the tracheal wall when inflated, protecting against aspiration
- Deflated during weaning process
Emergency Airway Equipment:
ambu bag, mask, oral airway
non disposable inner cannula (if patient has cuffless, plugged tube in situ)
TRACH EMERGENCY AIRWAY SUPPLIES
- Cuffed tracheostomy tube - same size and one size smaller
- Tracheostomy dilator set
- 10cc syringe
- Tracheostomy tube exchanger
- 1 pack water –soluble lubricant
- Obturator (for tube insertion)
IHA Tracheostomy Emergency Guide
Pt is in resp distress
Call RT on vocera STAT
pt alert, responsive breathing
no= call code blue (bagger ressus with O2)
YES= remove trach cap if present
try to pass suction catheter and/or remove inner cannula and replace with new one
no improvement
obstructed upper airway and/or cuff inflated?
* when in doubt bag through trach)
NO= connect bagger to oxygen. use bagger with mask over nose/mouth and give breaths
YES= connect bagger to O2. place bagger without mask, directly to trach and give breaths