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Article: Tracheostomy: a guide to nursing care.(clinical update)
- Article from:
- Australian Nursing Journal
- Article date:
- November 1, 2005
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2005 Australian Nursing Federation. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Introduction
Tracheostomy refers to an opening into the trachea where an artificial airway (the tracheostomy tube) is inserted. This is usually performed to protect the patient from accidentally inhaling food, fluid or saliva. Such an airway may be necessary for patients when prolonged ventilation is required, or when an extended coma is anticipated. It may also be placed surgically to maintain the structure of the trachea--when threatened by cancer, infection or trauma, Placement of a tracheostomy is mainly used during the acute phase of an illness and later removed.
On occasion, however, tracheostomy placement will remain permanently. Nurses caring for ...