Chapter 12: Respiratory care, CPR and blood transfusion
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Related theory
Less‐than‐optimal heat and humidification cause several changes within the airways: mucous begins to thicken and the mobility of the cilia is affected, reducing mucociliary clearance (Doctor et al. [67]). If there is a continuing lack of humidity, the mucosal lining of the respiratory tract is damaged and cilia can break off. The isothermic point of saturation moves from the bifurcation of the trachea to a lower point in the lungs, causing collapse of the alveoli (atelectasis), decreased lung function and hypoxaemia (McNulty and Eyre [154]).
