An ENT surgeon told us several times that he could not have performed his procedure so successfully if he had not had access to a jet ventilator such as the Twinstream®. Time to explain this special, safe, and in many cases extremely suitable form of ventilation in more detail.
What exactly is High-Frequency Jet Ventilation?
High-Frequency Jet Ventilation (HFJV) is characterized by the delivery of small tidal volumes (1–3 ml/kg) from a high-pressure jet with supraphysiological frequencies (1–10 Hz), followed by passive expiration. The high-pressure jet is administered via a narrow lumen. The force with which the flow exits this narrow lumen creates, among other things, the Venturi effect. This creates a suction effect of ambient air, thereby creating additional tidal volume.
Do anesthesia materials, such as a tube, obstruct the surgeon? Then the use of jet ventilation is a solution. Also, if it is necessary or desirable for the treatment area to be “still,” as in radiotherapeutic procedures. HFJV is also used to improve lung function, for example, in lung surgery and in the ICU. There is a Twinstream® ICU version for the ICU.
Indications
1. ENT surgery
For example, diagnostic laryngoscopy and microlarynx surgery require a technique that provides an unobstructed view of the larynx, immobility of the vocal cords, and complete control over the airways and ventilation. HFJV is also a solution for various head and neck procedures.
2. Rigid bronchoscopy
Procedures with the rigid bronchoscope? With the help of scopes adapted to the Twinstream, you have a completely free working field and bronchus and lung procedures can be performed perfectly under general anesthesia. Ventilation takes place via the bronchoscope.
3. Thoracic surgery
The use of HFJV in thoracic surgery is diverse. Consider tracheal procedures where the ventilation tube can be obstructive to the surgeon. The use of the Twinstream solves this problem. During 1-lung ventilation, the use of HFJV is worth considering: jetting the lung to be operated on can create better oxygenation and limit shunting.
4. Radiology
HFJV can provide a motionless work field and is therefore very suitable for radiologically guided procedures, such as radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and lithotripsy.
In a future blog, we would like to tell you more about the Twinstream, which combines jet ventilation and normoventilation to create optimal gas exchange. With the Twinstream®, it is possible to work completely tube/catheter-free.
