Providing HME solutions to prevent humidification errors

HUMIDICARE®

Preventing humidification errors

Novel Heat and Moisture Exchanger (HME) visually alerts clinicians to error of dual humidification in mechanical ventilation circuits

Key features of HUMIDICARE®

Provides early indication of dual humidification error
Directs clinical staff to check breathing circuit equipment
Functions like a standard HME
Improves safety for ventilated patients during transfer to ICU

Artificial humidification in ventilated patients

In the operating theatre or intensive care unit, artificial humidification systems are used with ventilated patients to condition medical gases prior to delivery to the patients lower respiratory tract.

This helps to reduce potential harm caused by introducing cold and dry gases to the lower respiratory tract which could lead to complications.

Heated humidifiers (HH) or passive heat and moisture exchangers (HME) are both commonly present in the same clinical environments, with clinical staff choosing their preferred option. Local protocols can also co-exist, such as use of HME in short term and HH for longer term ventilated patients.
Potential complications and risks for ventilated patients

HH and HME are not designed to be used simultaneously in the same breathing circuit. When both are inadvertently used complications for the patient can arise.

If this occurs and the dual humidification equipment error is not swiftly noticed and rectified it can result in partial or full blockage of the airway with potentially fatal outcomes.

In December 2015, the NHS issued a patient safety alert to raise awareness of this risk. While reporting systems suggest that such occurrences are infrequent at a local level, on a national scale numbers are more significant [4].

[4] NHS England and MHRA: Patient Safety Alert: Risk of using different airway humidification devices simultaneously [Internet]. England (UK): NHS England; 2015.[cited 2020 June 4]. Available from: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/psa-humidification-devices.pdf
HUMIDICARE® alerts staff to the error of dual humidification

The novel HUMIDICARE® HME functions like a standard HME. The crucial difference is that it has a built-in engineered safety solution to visually highlight to clinicians when the HME is fitted into a breathing circuit which already contains a HH.

This provides an early indication and directs staff to take appropriate action to check the breathing circuit and rectify the error, avoiding potentially harmful outcomes for the patient.

HUMIDICARE® provides healthcare institutions with an approach to proactively manage the potential risks associated with dual humidification as outlined in the related national 2015 NHS Patient Safety Alert.

The HUMIDICARE® technology is currently in development by Medovate. To register your interest or for further information, please contact us.

Clinical Evidence

View more clinical evidence

"I feel that HUMIDICARE® will help make everyday clinical practice that little bit safer."
Dr J M Dean, Anaesthetic Registrar, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust

"Clinicians typically are reluctant to significantly change their practice especially regarding rare events and the beauty of HUMIDICARE® is that they will not have to, as it fits seamlessly with current practices."
Dr J M Dean, Anaesthetic Registrar, Sheffield Children's NHS Foundation Trust

HUMIDICARE®

IMPROVING PATIENT SAFETY

Novel Heat and Moisture Exchanger (HME) provides early indication of potential error of dual humidification in mechanical ventilation circuits

HUMIDICARE®

Preventing humidification errors

Key features of HUMIDICARE®

Provides early indication of dual humidification error

Directs clinical staff to check breathing circuit equipment

Functions like a standard HME

Improves safety for ventilated patients during transfer to ICU

Artificial humidification in ventilated patients

Potential complications and risks for ventilated patients

HUMIDICARE® alerts staff to the error of dual humidification

Clinical Evidence

Humidicare – an implementation study of a novel HME safety device designed to prevent ventilator circuit occlusion due to inadvertent dual humidification

Accidental dual humidification in intensive care units: Repeated alerts and system changes are not enough

NHS PATIENT SAFETY ALERT December 2015: RISK OF USING DIFFERENT AIRWAY HUMIDIFICATION DEVICES SIMULTANEOUSLY

The simultaneous use of a heat and moisture exchanger and a heated humidifier causes critical airway occlusion in less than 24 hours

Risk of using different airway humidification devices simultaneously

HUMIDICARE®

IMPROVING PATIENT SAFETY

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