Question

CASE STUDY PROGRESS

E.M. begins coughing and has copious nasal secretions. You provide nasopharyngeal suctioning and obtain a large amount of thick secretions. She is allowed to recover and is reassessed. The respiratory rate and retractions have not changed significantly. Her breath sounds are less coarse but are diminished in the bases. The Sa O2 is now 92% to 93% on 1.5L oxygen. After E.M. settles, her mother asks whether she can feed her because she has not eaten much for the past few days. You tell her that with a current respiratory rate of greater than 65 breaths/min, she should not be fed.

4. What is the rationale for holding feeds?

Answer 1

As all of as know till pharynx both respiratory and gastrointestinal system has common pathway. Human can take air into lower respiratory tract through both mouth and nose.

Epiglottis is a leaf like cartilage which located at larynx, close the tracheal opening while food passes through the larynx. When food enter into the pharynx and larynx epiglottis close or cover the tracheal opening and prevent aspiration of food particles into respiratory tract.

While in case of tachypnea or hyperventilation the epiglottis can't work properly or covered up the tracheal opening and it may cause aspiration. Mostly the patient assume mouth breathing and it interfere while chewing and sallowing. So hold feeding while tachypnea occur to avoid aspiration of food contents.