INFLUENCE OF HEAT AND MOISTURE EXCHANGER RESPIRATORY LOAD ON TRANSCUTANEOUS OXYGENATION IN LARYNGECTOMIZED INDIVIDUALS : A RANDOMIZED CROSSOVER STUDY

Background High-resistance heat and moisture exchangers (HMEs) have been reported to increase transcutaneous oxygenation (tcpO2) values in laryngectomized individuals and to negatively influence patient compliance. The goal of the present study was to validate earlier published results on short-term transcutaneous oxygenation changes by high-resistance HMEs. Methods We conducted a randomized crossover study, monitoring the influence of an HME on tcpO2 over a 2-hour time interval in 20 subjects. Results No evidence of an immediate HME effect (95% CI: −14.9–13.3 mm Hg, p = .91), or a time-dependent HME effect (95% CI: −.121 – .172 mm Hg/minute, p = .74), on tcpO2 was found. After fitting the statistical model without time dependency, again no evidence of HME presence was seen (95% CI: −.5 mm Hg – 3.6 mm Hg, p = .15). Conclusion In contrast to earlier suggestions, there is no evidence of increased tcpO2 levels by high-resistance HMEs in laryngectomized individuals. Thus, using such HMEs has no added clinical value in this respect. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2007