Author Question: Which of the following is false about heated humidifier condensate? a. It can block or obstruct ... (Read 59 times)

mmm · **on:** Jul 16, 2018

Which of the following is false about heated humidifier condensate?

a. It can block or obstruct the delivery cir-cuit.
b. It must be treated as contaminated waste.
c. It requires that circuits be drained fre-quently.
d. It poses minimal infection risk.

Question 2

The amount of condensation occurring in a heated, humidified gas delivery system depends on which of the following?

1. Length, diameter, and mass of the circuit
2. Temperature differential along the circuit
3. Ambient temperature
4. Rate of gas flow through the circuit
a. 2 and 4 only
b. 1, 2, and 3 only
c. 3 and 4 only
d. 1, 2, 3, and 4

mochi09 · **Reply #1 on:** Jul 16, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: D
Condensation can disrupt or occlude gas flow through the circuit, potentially altering FiO2 and/or ventilator function. Moreover, condensate can work its way toward the patient and be aspirated. For these reasons, circuits must be positioned to drain condensate away from the patient and must be checked often, and excess condensate must be drained from heated humidifier breathing circuits on a regular basis. Typically, patients contaminate ventilator circuits within hours, and condensate is colonized with bacteria and thus poses an infection risk. To avoid problems in this area, health care personnel should treat all breathing-circuit condensate as infectious waste.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: D
Factors influencing the amount of condensation include (1) the temperature difference across the system (humidifier to airway), (2) the ambient temperature, (3) the gas flow, (4) the set airway temperature, and (5) the length, diameter, and thermal mass of the breathing circuit.