RESPIRATOR TRACHEOTOMY TUBE

Any general hospital treats patients who require respiratory assistance for reasons ranging from intracranial disease or injury with central respiratory depression, excessive drug intake, thoracic injury, or pulmonary insufficiency to unidentifiable causes. The problem involved is not one of mechanical airway improvement alone but also one of insufficient central respiratory stimulus. In coping with

The use of a respirator with the familiar nasooral mask is difficult because it precludes airway aspiration. Tracheotomy alone may not be enough because artificial respiratory control cannot be well maintained unless a closed system is provided. The tube which we have used (see fig.) consists of a cane-shaped tracheotomy tube made ⅜ in. (0.96 cm.) shorter than standard. The inner cannula is provided with a ⅜ in. extension beyond the base plate. To this a fairly stiff rubber tube is connected, at the other end of which a standard slip fitting is provided. This may