Comparison of high-flow nasal cannula versus oxygen face mask for environmental bacterial contamination in critically ill pneumonia patients: a randomized controlled crossover trial

Publication date: Available online 15 October 2018Source: Journal of Hospital InfectionAuthor(s): C.C.H. Leung, G.M. Joynt, C.D. Gomersall, W.T. Wong, A. Lee, L. Ling, P.K.S. Chan, P.C.W. Lui, P.C.Y. Tsoi, C.M. Ling, M. HuiSummaryWhereas high-flow nasal cannula use is gaining prevalence, its high gas flow raises concerns about aerosolization of infectious particles and spread of infection. This randomized controlled crossover non-inferiority trial (N = 20) evaluated the degree of environmental contamination by viable bacteria associated with the use of high-flow nasal cannula compared with conventional oxygen mask for critically ill patients with Gram-negative pneumonia. The results show that high-flow nasal cannula use was not associated with increased air or contact surface contamination by either Gram-negative bacteria or total bacteria, suggesting that additional infection control measures are not required.
Source: Journal of Hospital Infection - Category: Infectious Diseases Source Type: research