Trach Weaning

[bethb122]

My mother is 71 yrs old and was involved in a car accident 1/2/08. Her neck was broken at the C5, C6 and T1 level. She is now a quad with limited use of her arms and hands. Because she has a short neck it took four hours to intibate her during her surgery on 1/3. A week after surgery the decision was made to pull the tube and insert a trach. It was supposed to be "only temporary" but it has become a permanant fixture. She has been able to eat solid foods and talk with it just fine from day one. The inner cannula is a six, downgraded from an 8 several months ago. She is in a nursing home at the present time due to the amount of care it now takes for her. We, the family, as well as my mother would like to see the trach go! She was tolerating it being capped for several hours (4 to 5) when she was in the step down unit in June and July but hasn't capped it much since moving to the nursing home. She is on an oxygen machine which keeps the trach and her secretions moist to avoid mucus plugs. She can go all day without the oxygen but has it put back on at night. Should we ask the doctor to downsize the trach to a 4 to see if she can tolerate it?  She really wants to be free of the trach and we'd like for her to be free of it too. Thanks..


This discussion is related to weaning from trach..