I just want to warn you. If you use an LTV 1150 ventilator, and you use it with a conventional humidifier WITHOUT A HEATED WIRE, well In other words, "DO NOT DO IT," if you can avoid it. The problems you will have are serious and potentially harmful. You're going to get water stuck in the exhalation valve, and the ventilator's going to alarm "DISC/SENSE," and you're gonna have the hardest time trying to clear the water out, because if you tap the valve on something it's either going to tear the whole valve to pieces, OR it's going to dislodge the rubber diaphragm. By the time you get your humidifier's setting low enough to avoid this, you are going to have dry trach secretions, and bleeding. You're not going to have atiquate humidification, and you're possibly going to have bloody secretions like me. I have a home care DME provicer they don't carry the heated wire humidifiers. We've tried to work on getting me a heated wire setup, but It fell to pieces because there was nobody to help with that, so I had to say, "FORGET IT!" I use an HME which provices a little bit more humidity, and I use it in addition to the humidifier and It's not much better, but my secretions are a tiny less bloody. I want to warn you, If at all possible, YOU MUST MUST MUST USE A HEATED WIRE CIRCUIT. I cannot stress this enough. You are doing a PROFOUND disservice to your patients otherwise. Try putting a water trap on your exhalation side. That's going to drain excess water, but you are still going to have to keep the heater humidifier on a low setting, or you're going to have the exhalation valve issues. In other words, "If you don't have a heated wire setup," YOU ARE IN TROUBLE, if the patient requires high amounts of humidification like I Do. so, I am administering this advice to help you to help your patients. YOU MUST use a heated wire. Otherwise, you're going to have NUMEROUS issues! Thank you!
+Peter Foster Thank you for your note Peter, My name is Randy I am a Respiratory Therapist here at Midwest Medical. We use non heated wire circuits very frequently. I can definately understand your concerns. To avoid all of the problems you mentioned and to prevent water from getting in the vent we use a hydrophobic filter. Also with the non heated wire circuit a drain cup can be cut into circuit where on a heated wire you cannot. Medicare and most insurarance will cover a new heater every 5 years. Also as a note from your physician can prescribe "heated wire heated humidity" dispense as written and they or another provider will have to provide a heated wire set up. Midwest Medical provides both. Best Regards,Randy K. LRT Midwest Medical Services.
This is one of the things I do not like about this ventilator. There is NO WAY to place this machine in standby Mode. The only options are on, or OFF. I think that it would be so much easier if we could turn the ventilator on and off.
My Ven is set on alarm vol? How do I reset? I press and hold it and it got stuck at alarm volume so am unable to see the other values like respiratory rate