Janet Boehm EdD, MS, RRT
Director, Clinical Education
Youngstown State University
Youngstown, OH

Richard Branson, MS, RRT, FAARC
Associate Professor of Surgery
University of Cincinnati College of Medicine Cincinnati, OH

Richard Kallet, MSc RRT, FAARC
Clinical Projects Manager
University of California
Cardiovascular Research Institute
San Francisco, CA

Donna Hamel, RRT, FAARC
Clinical Research Coordinator
Duke University Health Systems
Raleigh-Durham, NC

Neil MacIntyre, MD, FAARC
Medical Director of Respiratory Services
Duke University Medical Center
Durham, NC

Tim Myers, BS, RRT-NPS
Pediatric Respiratory Care
Rainbow Babies and Children’s Hospital
Cleveland, OH

Tim Op’t Holt, EdD, RRT, AEC, FAARC
Professor, Department of Respiratory Care
and Cardiopulmonary Sciences
University of Southern Alabama
Mobile, AL

Ruth Krueger Parkinson, MS, RRT
Protocol/ PI Coordinator
Sioux Valley Hospital
Sioux Valley, SD

Helen Sorenson, MA, RRT, FAARC
Assistant Professor, Dept. of Respiratory Care
University of Texas Health Sciences Center
San Antonio, TX

Humidification During Non-Invasive Ventilation
By Richard Branson, MS, RRT, FAARC
Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) for acute exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been shown to reduce both morbidity and mortality in this population when compared with endotracheal intubation. NIV may also be used in a host of other diseases including cardiogenic pulmonary edema, post-extubation hypoxemia, and chronic ventilatory failure associated with muscular weakness. Ancillary therapy (e.g. aerosol therapy, antibiotics, fluid management, and secretion clearance) also plays an important role in successful NIV. Humidification during NIV is poorly understood and there are no current standards or recommendations in this area. This is an issue ripe for further investigation, as humidification could play an important role in the success of NIV. Patient comfort, secretion removal, and the efficiency of ventilation may all be affected by the adequacy of humidification. In this article, registered respiratory therapist, Richard Branson, discusses current knowledge and recent evidence with regard to humidification within the NIV setting.

Panel Discussion: Humidification in Non-invasive Ventilation: Clinical Practice Today.
Moderator: Richard Branson, MS, RRT, FAARC
Panelists: Carl Haas, MLS, RRT, FAARC
François Lellouche, MD
Antonio Esquinas, MD
David Wheeler, RRT, FAARC
In a panel discussion moderated by Mr. Branson, four experts discuss issues concerning the use of humidification in non-invasive ventilation (NIV). Questions addressed include whether short-term humidification during NIV can be used in the emergency room, issues to consider when using an artificial nose during NIV, pros and cons of using a heat and moisture exchanger or a heated humidifier during NIV, potential physiological irregularities that can arise during NIV without humidification, and assessment of success. A short case presentation is also discussed.

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