Tracheostomy is a small hole that is practiced in the throat, in the trachea region to facilitate air into the lungs, usually done when there is an airway blockage caused by tumors or inflammation of the throat after surgery., for example, and therefore can only be maintained for a few days or for life.
While it is necessary to maintain the tracheostomy for a long time, it is important to know how to take care of it properly, to avoid serious complications such as suffocation or even a possible lung infection, this care can be done by the caregiver, when the person is bedridly prostrate, or by the patient himself, when he or she feels able.
- To avoid the risk of serious complications.
- It is important to keep the cannula clean and free of secretions.
- As well as to change all components as directed by your doctor.
In addition, it is essential to see if the site of the tracheostomy is red or swollen, because if you have these signs it may indicate the development of an infection, which should be reported to the doctor immediately.
To keep the tracheostomy tube clean and free of secretions, which can cause suffocation or infections, you need to:
The tracheostomy outer cannula should only be replaced by a health care professional, as the risk of suffocation is high when performed at home.For example, you should go to the hospital at least once a week to change the entire tracheostomy kit, or as directed by your doctor.
The padded surface of the tracheostomy should be changed whenever it is dirty or wet.After removing the dirty padded surface, clean the skin around the tracheostomy with a little saline solution and apply some perfume-free moisturizer.
To place a new pillow, you can use pads suitable for tracheostomy, as shown in the first image, or use 2 clean compresses with a cut on top, as shown in the second image.
Tracheostomy is performed by surgery in the hospital under general anesthesia, although in some cases the doctor may also opt for local anesthesia, depending on the difficulty and duration of the process.
A small incision is then made in the throat to expose the trachea and a new incision is made to the trachea cartilage, to allow the tracheostomy tube to pass through.Finally, in the first phase or if the person only needs a tracheostomy.in the hospital, there are machines connected to help you breathe.
Although you can go home with a tracheostomy, this procedure is usually more used in people with more serious problems who have to stay in the ICU for a long time, for example.
There are some signs that you should go to the hospital or emergency room right away:
When the patient has difficulty breathing, he or she should remove the internal cannula and clean it properly.However, if the symptom persists, you should go to the emergency room immediately.