Heat and moisture exchanger for use with tracheostomy tube

摘要

An HME 3 for a tracheostomy tube 1 has a flexible outer housing 30 of a gas-permeable material containing an HME element of discrete particles 42, grannules or the like of a hygroscopic material. The particles 42 are contained between the outer housing 30 and an inner wall 35 of a foam. The inner wall 35 has a ciliated surface 36 facing the end of the tube, which acts to distributr gas over the surface of the HME element. The HME is attached to a flange 23 on an inner cannula 2 by means of a removable adhesive. The HME may include a suction port 151 through a self-closing aperture 151 (Fig 3), which makes a wiping seal with a suction catheter inserted in the tube.