Unbound MEDLINE

Incentive spirometry for the tracheostomy patient.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To determine the feasibility of developing and using a customized incentive spirometer device for patients who have undergone a tracheostomy procedure.
STUDY DESIGN
The authors performed a prospective case series approved by the institutional review board.
SETTING
Academic medical center.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
Patients were eligible for participation if they were older than 18 years and had a new tracheostomy. Spirometry exercises were performed using a protocol adapted from the American Academy of Respiratory Care guidelines. Patient data were recorded, including age, sex, tobacco use, surgical procedure, time under general anesthesia, length of hospital stay, and time until ambulation. The details of the spirometry exercises were also recorded along with any complications that occurred.
RESULTS
An incentive spirometer was adapted for use with tracheostomy patients and received an investigational device exemption from the Food and Drug Administration. A total of 10 patients were enrolled (mean age 60 years). Sixty percent were current or former tobacco users, the mean anesthesia time was 9 hours, and 70% underwent a microvascular free flap reconstruction. Patients used the incentive spirometer for a mean of 1.6 days during the postoperative period, averaging 3.3 sessions per day and 6.8 breaths per session. The device was well tolerated by patients, and there were no complications associated with its use.
CONCLUSION
This study supports the feasibility of using a customized incentive spirometer for tracheostomy patients and establishes a safety profile for the device to be used in future studies.

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  • Publisher Full Text

    • Authors

    Goldstein GH, Iloreta AM, Ojo B, Malkin BD

    Institution

    Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA. gregg.goldstein@uphs.upenn.edu

    Source

    Otolaryngology--head and neck surgery : official journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 147:6 2012 Dec pg 1065-8

    MeSH

    Adult
    Aged
    Aged, 80 and over
    Equipment Design
    Feasibility Studies
    Female
    Humans
    Inhalation
    Male
    Middle Aged
    Motivation
    Pilot Projects
    Pneumonia
    Postoperative Complications
    Prospective Studies
    Pulmonary Atelectasis
    Spirometry
    Tracheostomy

    Pub Type(s)

    Journal Article

    Language

    eng

    PubMed ID

    22886076