ventilator issues

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LizT

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My PALS high-pressure alarm on his vent has been going off frequently in the last few days.
Does anyone know if this may be a sign of some sort of lung infection?
Thanks.
 
Not necessarily, it could mean nothing but the fact suctioning is needed. I go through periods of this happening and have never had an infection. It lasts a couple of days. What is the alarm set at? Mine is set at 35.
 
Hi Joel. Thanks for the response. im not sure what his is set at, i will have to look tomorrow. normally he tells us when he needs to be suctioned. lately its been more often and alot more mucous is coming out. and its been getting almost completely blocked very quickly. he is prone to pneumonia and battles it a couple times a year so i am concerned.
 
Sounds like one of my periodic sessions. Too many thick secretions setting off the high pressure alarm. Suction him more often and make sure you go deep and get them all. I hope it is not another infection. We have been able to avoid infections by more dillgent suctioning during these times.
 
I am getting my trach 30th and I will be going on vent so ya'll get ready for all the question. i have to admit i am a little nervous but i have read Joel how to do it and i feel prepare,well as ready as I am going to get
 
joel, i hope thats all it is. i usually do pretty well at going all the way down when i suction him. we also suction as soon as he tells us to or as soon as we hear the need for it.
flower- good luck with the trache surgery.
 
Since I am one of the rare people who has a trache and vent I will likely be the one answering your questions. Don't hesitate to ask, that is what I am here for. Ask anything and I will give you an answer from my experience.

Flower, have you read on my website what I recommend to prepare for a trache? Good Luck! I hope it goes as well as mine did.
 
thanks Joel. i appreciate you accepting me into this forum. has to take my PALS to the ER today.
he was having shortness of breath and his high pressure alarm kept going off, even after suctioning him. the needle on his vent kept jumping up between 40 and 50 when it normally goes to 10. His mom called the dr and he said we better bring him in the ER for a chest xray. when we got there, they did hear wheezing and alot of mucous in his lungs. but the xray actually ended up better than the last one he had in june. they said his lungs looked less plugged up (or something to that effect).
PALS had mentioned that the balloon in his trache felt stretched out or that something was wrong with it. he had an appointment scheduled on sept 9th for a new one, but said he couldnt wait that long, so they changed it at the hospital. there was ALOT more gunk on it than usual. once he had the new one in, he felt great. no more shortness of breath. we were/are all very very happy! i was beginning to get very worried about him.
 
That is excellent news! I am very happy things are better. I had forgotten that as I have a cuffless trache tube so that is not something I experience. I would recomend that periodically you deflate the cuff and immediately suction, so prepare to suction then deflate. I am glad it got resolved, thanks for letting us know.
 
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