Skip to main content
 

Main menu

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Editor's Commentary
    • Coming Next Month
    • Archives
    • Top 10 Papers in 2020
  • Authors
    • Author Guidelines
    • Submit a Manuscript
  • Reviewers
    • Reviewer Information
    • Create Reviewer Account
    • Appreciation of Reviewers
  • CRCE
    • Through the Journal
    • JournalCasts
    • AARC University
    • PowerPoint Template
  • Open Forum
    • Call for Abstracts 2021
    • 2020 Abstracts
    • Previous Open Forums
  • Podcast
    • English
    • Español
    • Portugûes
    • 国语

User menu

  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in

Search

  • Advanced search
American Association for Respiratory Care
  • Subscribe
  • My alerts
  • Log in
American Association for Respiratory Care

Advanced Search

  • Home
  • Content
    • Current Issue
    • Editor's Commentary
    • Coming Next Month
    • Archives
    • Top 10 Papers in 2020
  • Authors
    • Author Guidelines
    • Submit a Manuscript
  • Reviewers
    • Reviewer Information
    • Create Reviewer Account
    • Appreciation of Reviewers
  • CRCE
    • Through the Journal
    • JournalCasts
    • AARC University
    • PowerPoint Template
  • Open Forum
    • Call for Abstracts 2021
    • 2020 Abstracts
    • Previous Open Forums
  • Podcast
    • English
    • Español
    • Portugûes
    • 国语
  • Follow aarc on Twitter
  • Visit aarc on Facebook
Research ArticleOriginal Research

Y-Piece Temperature and Humidification During Mechanical Ventilation

Mario Solomita, Feroza Daroowalla, Deniese S LeBlanc and Gerald C Smaldone
Respiratory Care April 2009, 54 (4) 480-486;
Mario Solomita
Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Stony Brook University Medical Center, State University of New York at Stony Brook
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Feroza Daroowalla
Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Stony Brook University Medical Center, State University of New York at Stony Brook
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Deniese S LeBlanc
Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Stony Brook University Medical Center, State University of New York at Stony Brook
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
Gerald C Smaldone
Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Stony Brook University Medical Center, State University of New York at Stony Brook
  • Find this author on Google Scholar
  • Find this author on PubMed
  • Search for this author on this site
  • For correspondence: [email protected]
  • Article
  • References
  • Info & Metrics
  • PDF
Loading

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Practitioners often presume there is adequate humidification in the ventilator circuit if the Y-piece is at a specified temperature, but control of Y-piece temperature may be inadequate to ensure adequate humidification.

METHODS: In an in vitro bench model we measured water-vapor delivery with several heated humidification setups and a wide range of minute volume (V̇E) values. The setup included a condenser, hygrometry, and thermometer. First, we calibrated the system with a point-source humidifier and water pump. Then we tested the water-vapor delivery during non-heated-wire humidification and during heated-wire humidification with a temperature gradient of 3°C, 0°C, and 3°C between the humidifier and the Y-piece. We compared the results to 2 recommended humidification values: 100% saturated (absolute humidity 44 mg H2O/L) gas at 37°C (saturated/37°C); and 75% saturated (absolute humidity 33 mg H2O/L), which is the humidity recommended by the International Organization for Standardization (the ISO standard). In all the experiments the setup was set to provide 35°C at the Y-piece.

RESULTS: Our method for measuring water-vapor delivery closely approximated the amount delivered by a calibrated pump, but slightly underestimated the water-vapor delivery in all the experiments and the whole V̇Erange. At all V̇Evalues, water-vapor delivery during non-heated-wire humidification matched or exceeded saturated/37°C and was significantly greater than that during heated-wire humidification. During heated-wire humidification, water-vapor delivery varied with the temperature gradient and did not reach saturated/37°C at V̇E> 6 L/min. Water-vapor delivery with the negative temperature gradient was below the ISO standard.

CONCLUSIONS: Maintaining temperature at one point in the inspiratory circuit (eg, Y-piece), does not ensure adequate water-vapor delivery. Other factors (humidification system, V̇E, gradient setting) are critical. At a given temperature, humidification may be significantly higher or lower than expected.

  • humidifier
  • humidification
  • ventilation
  • airway
  • sputum

Footnotes

  • Correspondence: Gerald C Smaldone MD PhD, Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Stony Brook University Medical Center, State University of New York at Stony Brook, HSC T 17–040, Stony Brook NY 11794. Email: gsmaldone{at}notes.cc.sunysb.edu.
  • Copyright © 2009 by Daedalus Enterprises Inc.
PreviousNext
Back to top

In this issue

Respiratory Care: 54 (4)
Respiratory Care
Vol. 54, Issue 4
1 Apr 2009
  • Table of Contents
  • Table of Contents (PDF)
  • Cover (PDF)
  • Index by author
Download PDF
Article Alerts
Sign In to Email Alerts with your Email Address
Email Article

Thank you for your interest in spreading the word on American Association for Respiratory Care.

NOTE: We only request your email address so that the person you are recommending the page to knows that you wanted them to see it, and that it is not junk mail. We do not capture any email address.

Enter multiple addresses on separate lines or separate them with commas.
Y-Piece Temperature and Humidification During Mechanical Ventilation
(Your Name) has sent you a message from American Association for Respiratory Care
(Your Name) thought you would like to see the American Association for Respiratory Care web site.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.
Citation Tools
Y-Piece Temperature and Humidification During Mechanical Ventilation
Mario Solomita, Feroza Daroowalla, Deniese S LeBlanc, Gerald C Smaldone
Respiratory Care Apr 2009, 54 (4) 480-486;

Citation Manager Formats

  • BibTeX
  • Bookends
  • EasyBib
  • EndNote (tagged)
  • EndNote 8 (xml)
  • Medlars
  • Mendeley
  • Papers
  • RefWorks Tagged
  • Ref Manager
  • RIS
  • Zotero

Share
Y-Piece Temperature and Humidification During Mechanical Ventilation
Mario Solomita, Feroza Daroowalla, Deniese S LeBlanc, Gerald C Smaldone
Respiratory Care Apr 2009, 54 (4) 480-486;
del.icio.us logo Digg logo Reddit logo Twitter logo CiteULike logo Facebook logo Google logo Mendeley logo
  • Tweet Widget
  • Facebook Like
  • Google Plus One

Jump to section

  • Article
  • Info & Metrics
  • References
  • PDF

Related Articles

Cited By...

Keywords

  • humidifier
  • humidification
  • ventilation
  • airway
  • sputum

Info For

  • Subscribers
  • Institutions
  • Advertisers

About Us

  • About Us
  • Editorial Board
  • Reprints/Permissions

AARC

  • Membership
  • Meetings
  • Clinical Practice Guidelines

More

  • Contact Us
  • RSS
American Association for Respiratory Care

Print ISSN: 0020-1324        Online ISSN: 1943-3654

© Daedalus Enterprises, Inc.

Powered by HighWire