Oxygen therapy and humidified air

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In regards to a home care trach patient receiving oxygen via trach mist collar:
The patient receives oxygen therapy via a trach mist collar. The oxygen flow rate on the concentrator is usually at 2-3L/M. The tubing is then connected to a nebulizer bottle on a separate machine. The collar on the bottle is set at 60%. My question is is in regards to the corresponding LPM located above the percentage. Above the 60% is 10 LPM.
Can you please explain what these settings on the bottle mean? Should the flow rate on the concentrator be at 10 instead of 2-3 and if that is the case, is the air not being sufficiently humidified?

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Specializes in anesthesiology.

If you want to deliver an FiO2 of 60% you need to have 10 LPM going through the venturi valve

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Specializes in Critical Care.

It’s works on a physics principle called the Venturi effect. In order for it to work as mentioned by the previous poster you need AT LEAST that many L flowing, any extra is going to make extra racket.

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Specializes in anesthesiology.

I believe the oxygen is being humidified regardless of the flow rate as long as there is water in the bottle. If your main concern is humidifying the oxygen to prevent secretions from drying out I believe the setting on the bottle shouldn't matter, but then why not just change the valve to read an FiO2 that could be provided with 2-3 lpm?

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Specializes in Critical Care.

Usually for humidification purposes we have our trach collar patients on 28%

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