Category
Respiratory Support
Typical Use
Provide heated, humidified high flow oxygen and some positive airway pressure.
Description
A system that delivers warmed, humidified oxygen at high flow rates through wide bore nasal cannulae to improve oxygenation, reduce work of breathing, and provide modest positive airway pressure in hypoxemic respiratory failure, postextubation support, and palliative care. HFNC settings are titrated for flow, FiO2, and temperature, and patient monitoring includes respiratory rate, oxygenation, and comfort; HFNC may reduce need for intubation in selected populations but requires escalation pathways for nonresponders. Device maintenance, humidification management, and infection control considerations are part of safe HFNC use.