A clinical and bacteriological evaluation of heat and moisture exchangers used for 96 hours

Abstract EN

،4 prospective cohort observational study on twenty pa-tientsراء the surgical and trauma intensive care units of Hamad General Hospital Doha, Qatar evaluated the effi-ciency of the heat and moisture exchangers (HME) used for 96 hrs instead of 24 hrs.

The {’valuation included the performance of the HME «.١ a preservative راء heat and moisture of the expired gases as well as a bacterial filter preventing bacteria from passing to the ventilator side of the HME (String prolonged controlled mechanical venti-lotion.

The physical performance of the HMEs over 96 hours and repeated bacteriological sampling of bronchial secretions and the ventilator side o) the HME confirmed that «١،' 0١ er four days did not affect the physical perfor-malice not the capacity for preventing bacterial /.