Glossary of Terms

A

Apnea (App-nee-uh)
A condition that occurs while you're sleeping. You either stop breathing for a short period of time or you have slow breathing.

Artificial nose
Also called Humid-vent, Heat Moisture Exchanger, or HME. A small filter device that fits over the trach tube and provides warmth and humidification. HMEs are vital to maintain thin secretions and prevent mucus plugs.

Aspiration (a-spuhr-A-shun)
A condition where you breathe in something like food or liquid that is not air into your airway.

B

Bacteria
Germs that grow and cause infection.

Ballard Suction
Closed suction system in which the suction catheter is protected inside a sterile sleeve. This is used when a patient is on the ventilator.

Bronchospasm (BRON-koh-spazm)
Sudden, strong muscle tightening and opening of the airways in the lungs, which makes you cough.

Burnout
A state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by a lot of stress. It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands.

C

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)
An emergency lifesaving procedure that is performed when the heart stops beating. It consists of breathing as wel as chest compressions in order to move blood and oxygen to vital organs within the body.

Catheter (CATH-it-urr)
A small,soft tube that connects to suction to remove mucus from the trach tube.

Chest Physiotherapy (CPT)
A way for clearing mucus out of the lungs. Keeping the lungs clear helps your child breathe easier.

Clammy skin
Sweaty skin

Cuff
The inflatable balloon on some tracheostomy tubes.

Cyanosis (sai-yuh-NO-suhs)
A bluish discoloration of the skin, lips, and nails due to decreased oxygen levels in the blood.

D

Decannulation (dee-can-you-LAY-shun)
Occurs when the trach tube is removed from the stoma. This can occur accidentally or can be planned when your child no longer needs the trach tube to breath.

Desaturation (dee-sat-yuhr-A-shun)
When the oxygen level goes below your child's normal levels.

Diaphragm (DAI-uh-fram)
The big muscle below the lungs that controls breathing.

DME
Durable Medical Equipment

Dysphagia (dis-FAY-jee-ah)
Trouble swallowing

E

Epiglottis (eh-puh-GLAA-tuhs)
A flap or tissue covering the opening of the larynx (voice box) during swallowing to prevent food or fluid from entering the lungs.

Esophagus (eh-SAA-fuh-guhs)
The tube that connects the mouth to the stomach.

Exhale/Expiration
Breathing out

F

Face mask
A soft piece that fits over the nose and mouth and attaches to the self-inflating bag.

Flange (flanjj)
The part of the trach tube that rests against the neck and holds the ties. It contains information on the type and size of tube your child has.

H

HME
Heat and Moisture Exchanger, also called the artificial nose. A small filter device that fits over the trach tube and provides warmth and humidification by trapping it from exhaled air.

Humidifier
A machine that puts extra moisture into the air.

Hypoxia (hai-PAAK-see-uh)
Low oxygen levels in the body.

I

Inhale/Inspiration
Breathing in

Inner cannula
A smaller tube that fits into the outer cannula of the tracheostomy tube. The inner cannula is changed more frequently to prevent buildup of secretions.

Instillation
A way of giving medicine in the form of a liquid or by drops, directly into the trach.

L

Larynx (LEH-ringks)
The voice box. Function is to protect the airway when the vocal cords are closed and to produce voice when air passes through the vocal cords.

M

Mucous (mucus)
Slippery fluid produced in the lungs and windpipe.

Mucous plugs
A collection of thick secretions that can get stuck in or at the end of the tracheostomy tube preventing airflow from properly moving through the trach.

N

Nebulize (NEH-byoo-lized) medicine
A medicine that comes as a liquid but is turned into a mist by a machine. This allows the child to inhale the medicine as a mist.  

Normal saline
Sterile salt water

O

O₂ (oh-2)
Oxygen 

Oxygen concentrator
A home oxygen machine that makes oxygen.

Obturator
The piece that fits into the trach tube to make it easier to slide the trach tube into the stoma.

Oxygen Saturation Level
Sometimes referred to as "O₂ sats" or simply "sats." It is the percent of oxygen that is in your child's blood. This level is based on your child's condition. Your health care team will let you know what is normal for your child.

Oximetry (Pulse Oximeter)
The device that measures your child's oxygen saturations. A probe will be attached to your child which allows their oxygen saturations and heart rate to appear on the monitor.

P

PDN
Private Duty Nurse

Pulmonologist (puhl-mahn-AHL-o-jist)
A medical doctor with advanced specialty training in pulmonary (lung) disease.

R

Rescue breathing
Breathing for a person who is not breathing.

Resuscitator bag
A bag used to provide manual breaths through the trach or with a mask.

Retractions
A sign of respiratory distress in which there is pulling or sucking in of the chest muscles, neck muscles and diaphragm during breathing.

Room air
The air around us contains 21% oxygen. When your child is not receiving any oxygen we say that they are on "room air."

RT
Respiratory Therapist

S

Saliva
Natural fluid in the mouth that helps you chew and swallow. It also keeps the mouth moist and teeth healthy. Spit.

Secretions
A substance, such as saliva, mucus, and tears that the body produces and releases.

Self-inflating bag
A breathing bag that fills with room air and does not need oxygen to fill, used to provide breaths to the child either directly into the trach or through a mask covering the mouth and nose with the stoma covered.

Speaking valve
A one-way valve that allows air to come in the tracheostomy tube, but then sends it out past the vocal cords and mouth to make talking possible.

Stenosis
Narrowing or constriction of a part of the airway. This can cause obstruction of airflow.

Stoma
Surgical opening in neck in which the tracheostomy tube is placed.

Suctioning
A catheter tubing is inserted into the tracheostomy tube and mucous or sections are removed from the tracheostomy using a suction machine.

T

Trachea (TRAY-kee-uh)
Windpipe

Tracheitis (TRAY-kee-EYE-tiss)
An infection of the trachea (windpipe)

Tracheotomy (TRAY-kee-AA-tuh-mee)
A surgical procedure where a doctor creates a stoma and places a tube for breathing into a child's trachea

Tracheostomy (TRAY-kee-AA-stuh-mee)
The name of the opening that is created during the tracheotomy procedure

U

URI
Upper Respiratory Infection

V

Ventilator
A mechanical device to assist breathing by moving air and oxygen in and out of the lungs. Can also be called a respirator or breathing machine.

W

Wheeze
A whistling sound resulting from a narrowing in the respiratory tract.

Y

Yankauer (YANG-kow-er)
A rigid plastic or metal suction device to help you remove secretions (like saliva) from your child's mouth.