About this topic
Sometimes, you need help breathing. This may be for a short time, like during surgery. It may be for a long time if you are getting better after being sick or hurt. To help you, the doctors will put in a breathing tube. This is also called an endotracheal tube or ET tube. The procedure is called an intubation. The breathing tube goes down your windpipe into your lungs. The breathing tube can also be put in your windpipe by your doctor making a small hole in your throat. ‚
Your breathing tube is connected to the ventilator. It is a special machine that can help you breathe. It may do some of the breathing work for you or it may do all of the breathing work. This does not fix the disease, but may keep you alive until the problem is fixed. You may need to have a breathing tube and ventilator to: ‚
- Help you breathe easier until you can breathe on your own
- Help you get more oxygen into your body and get carbon dioxide out of your body
- Give you needed air supply or emergency care right away
- Help with breathing during surgery or after an injury
- Open the airway
- Protect the lungs
- Remove blockages from the airway
- Treat other health problems
What care is needed at home?
- Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
- Do not smoke and avoid secondhand smoke.
- Avoid triggers that can make your breathing worse.
What follow-up care is needed?
- Your doctor may ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
- Your doctor may order chest x-rays or blood tests.
What drugs may be needed?
The doctor may order drugs to: ‚
- Prevent infection
- Help you relax
- Help you sleep
Will physical activity be limited?
Your physical activity may be limited based on your health problem. Talk with your doctor about the right amount of activity for you. ‚
What problems could happen?
- Injury to your lungs, windpipe, or vocal cords
- Injury to teeth, lips, or tongue
- Collapsed lung
- Stomach bleeding
- Tube is put into your food tube
- Low blood pressure
- Infection
- Trouble getting off the ventilator and your body able to breathe well
When do I need to call the doctor?
- Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills, cough, more sputum or change in color of sputum.
- Trouble breathing
- You hear noisy sounds when you breathe
Teach Back: Helping You Understand
The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚
- I can tell you about my condition.
- I can tell you what changes I need to make with my activities.
- I can tell you what I will do if I have trouble breathing or I hear noisy sounds when I breathe.
Where can I learn more?
American Thoracic Society ‚
http://patients.thoracic.org/information-series/en/resources/mechanical-ventilation.pdf ‚
Journal of the American Medical Society ‚
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=185472 ‚
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute ‚
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/healthtopics ‚
New Wales South Government ‚
http://intensivecare.hsnet.nsw.gov.au/intubation ‚
Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer
This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care providers advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚
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Copyright ‚ © 2015 Clinical Drug Information, LLC and Lexi-Comp, Inc. ‚