Opportunities and risks of using heliox in your clinical practice

Respir Care. 2006 Jun;51(6):651-60.

Abstract

Helium-oxygen mixture (heliox) has been advocated for clinical use since 1934, and there has been a growing array of clinical applications. Until recently, administering heliox has required jury-rigging by modifications and/or extension of available devices not designed for use with heliox. This paper reviews devices required to administer heliox and considers how devices designed to deliver air and/or oxygen have been adapted for use with heliox. Use of devices outside of their design limits adds risk and liability, whereas using Food-and-Drug-Administration cleared devices for heliox administration reduces the risk and liability.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Airway Resistance / drug effects
  • Drug Delivery Systems*
  • Equipment Design
  • Helium / administration & dosage*
  • Helium / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Hypoxia / physiopathology
  • Nebulizers and Vaporizers
  • Oxygen / administration & dosage*
  • Oxygen / therapeutic use
  • Respiration, Artificial
  • Tidal Volume / drug effects
  • Ventilators, Mechanical
  • Work of Breathing / drug effects

Substances

  • Helium
  • heliox
  • Oxygen