Pressure-optimized high flow therapy

Abstract

High flow nasal cannula therapy has a mild airway pressurization effect. These relatively low pressures can compromise the effectiveness of the technique, especially in those clinical scenarios where greater airway pressurization is required. Finding ways to increase this pressure would allow its use in patients with high pressurization requirements. We have therefore analyzed the increase in pressure achieved by coupling Boussignac® CPAP to the high-flow device circuit. Our preliminary results have shown that the pressure measured at the nasal cannula achieved with the AIRVO 2® can be significantly increased by associating Boussignac® CPAP. The FiO2 was stable and maintained during the study. We did not observed water condensation into the tubes. Studies are needed to confirm these results and their involvement in patients with various types of acute respiratory failure.