Humidification in the Intensive Care Unit - The Essentials

The 2^nd edition of this book aims to underline how inadequate humidification of inspired gases can be the cause of a variety of serious problems and, thus, it brings new results and trends in humidification, updates about technological analyses in equipment's ventilator modes and again the impact of humidification in complementary therapies such airway secretions in mechanical ventilated patients.
These aspects are analysed in critically ill patients requiring various options of ventilatory approach (i.e. invasive, noninvasive, nasal high flow oxygen). The book starts with an exhaustive description of the pathophysiology of humidification in critically ill, and continues analyzing the impact of mechanical ventilation modalities (high-flow oxygen therapy, noninvasive mechanical ventilation, invasive mechanical ventilation, etc.), monitoring prevention of complications related to inadequate humidification. Important chapters are devoted to analyze determinants - ventilator associated pneumonia-humidification; humidification strategies in tracheostomized critical care patients; humidification and impact in airway clearance managements and the key aspects about humidification in the healthcare organization.

This book is intended for all healthcare professionals working in Intensive Care Units (intensivists, anaesthesiologists, pulmonologist, neonatologist, nurses and respiratory therapist).



Prof. Antonio M. Esquinas, MD, PhD, FCCP, FNIV, International fellow of the American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC), is a critical care specialist and staff physician at the Intensive Care Unit at the Hospital Morales Meseguer, Murcia, Spain. He is the Director of the International School of Non-Invasive Mechanical Ventilation, International College of Experts in Non Invasive Ventilation, Director, Academy of Non Invasive Ventilation and Director International Non-invasive Ventilation Fellowship Program and President of International Association of Non Invasive Ventilation. His main research activities are related to noninvasive mechanical ventilation in pulmonary and critical care. Prof. Esquinas is the author of more than 670 scientific publications (402 on peer-reviewed journals), editor of 60 books (published in English, Portuguese, Spanish and Chinese) and author of 325 chapters of book/position paper. He was invited speaker at 356 presentations and presented 450 oral communications or posters at national and international congresses. He acts in international networking groups promoting education programs and research in noninvasive ventilation.