Hi.

How are you doing?

I am just doing another post.

I thought you might like some more posts.

As I wrote in my previous posts, I have a YouTube account.

Whenever I get a chance, I will post the URL on my YouTube channel, so people who view my YouTube channel can go to my website, and see my blog.

I thought you might like it if I shared some of the information about HFOV I have been looking up.

Basically I am going to tell you all about HFOV.

If your baby has ever been in the NICU, than you might have heard the term oscillator.

HFOV is short for (High Frequency Oscillatory Ventilation(R).

HFOV is used in the NICU or ICU, for patients who's lungs can't take the strane of a conventional ventilator.

All right.

Let's say our baby is in the NICU.

He is on the conventional ventilator.

But his lungs are so stiff, and uncompliant, that the ventilator alarm keeps going off. Well, what is the first thing they might do?

One thing they might do if they have NOT already done it is to try Surfactant.

Its a substance that kinda is like soup. Well, it keeps the lungs moist, I think.

If a baby doesn't have it, than they can't breathe very well.

Some premature babies need it, because their lungs are not fully developed enough, to start producing surfactant.

Well, let's contiue.

If the surfactant does NOT work, than they might try increasing the baby's vent settings.
UH OH.

The Doctor says as he is listening to your baby's lungs.

This is not good.

Someone get a pleuravac, so we can get a chest tube in.

He has a pneumothorax.

A WHAT????????????????????????????????

Pneumothorax.

nu-mo-thor-ax

Your baby's sats are still plummettting, into the lower 80s, and the mid to upper 70s.

So, they put a chest tube in.

A Pneumothorax is a hole in the plural space of the chest wall.

Air leaks into the space and ends up causing a collapsed lung.

A chest tube is inserted to drain the air out, while the lung is healing.

But even that doesn't work.

So, the Doctor comes in, and says, "Sit down please.

What's the matter?

Doctor?
This ventilator will have to go.

I'm going to have to place him on a machine called the oscillator.

What?

This device is a ventilator, that pushes little tiny puffs of air and oxygen into the baby's lungs at a rate of 700 to up to 12,00 BPM.

This device is used for baby's lungs, who can't withstand the stress of a conventional ventilator blowing BIG puffs of air at a slow rate.

This machine is brought in.

The Doctor explains that it will be A LOT easier because not only will it allow for your baby's lungs to heal, it will puff gentle puffs of air into the lungs, at a VERY HIGH RATE, thus ventilating the baby at the same time, not putting the stress on a baby's lungs, and letting them HEAL.

"

The ventilator is hooked up to your baby.

It is a scarey looking machine.

Its set to 800BPM.

Your baby's body is shaking to the machine.

The baby is vibrating kind of like.

Why is my baby vibrating to this machine?

Its because the lungs are being ventilated at several hundred Breaths Per Minute, and the chest is shaking because of the air that is being put into them.

The oscillator itself isn't making the baby shake.

Its the air that comes out of the oscillator that is going into the lungs, and making them go up and down very very very very very very very very very QUICKLY.

So, a few days go bye, and your taby is FINALLY taken off the oscillator.

NO.

The ECMO machine isn't needed.

We'll talk about that machine later.

But the baby gets off the oscillating ventilator, and gets to be put back on his old friend.

THE CONVENTIONAL VENT.

Oh no.

The lungs are starting to get stiff again.

Don't worry.

We'll just turn the vent down to where its not so hard on the lungs.

But what if that doesn't help?

We will have to put him back on the oscillator again.

All right.

Well, now that I understand a little bit more about the oscillaing ventilator, its not so scarey to see him on it.

BUT I STILL WANT TO SEE HIM COME HOME WITH ME.

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

Don't you worr.

YOUR BABY WILL GO HOME WITH YOU.

A few weeks later, he goes home with you.

So, now you know more about the HFOV.

So, when your Doctor talks about the oscillator, you will be a bit more informed.

OTHER NAMES FOR THE OSCILLATOR.

HFOV, oscillating vent, oscillatory vent oscillating ventilator oscillatory ventilator oscillating breathing machine, high frequency vent high frequency oscillator high frequency oscillatory vent High frequency oscillating machine.

Tomorrow's topic.

ECMO