NURS 3234 Lecture Notes - Lecture 9: Chemotherapy, Tracheoesophageal Fistula, Ceiling Balloon
Document Summary
Airway care: tracheostomy care, tube change, and artificial airway cuff management. The patient with a tracheostomy has had a surgically created opening through the neck into the trachea, or windpipe. The incision is generally below the cricoid cartilage, usually at the level of the second or third tracheal ring. The tracheostomy tube is an artificial airway inserted through this opening directly into the trachea. After a tracheostomy tube is inserted, a cuff on the tube is usually inflated to hold it in place and seal off the upper airway. All inhaled and exhaled air must pass in and out of the trachea through the tube, not through the nose and mouth. The upper airway system is therefore bypassed as are all the functions of the upper airway system. These include warming, humidifying, and filtering inspired air. Speech is also compromised, especially with a sealed cuff, because air is exhaled through the tube and does not pass across the vocal cords.
