Devices and Methods for Monitoring Respiration of a Tracheostomy Patient

A sleep study system comprising:

• a heat moisture exchange (HME) system comprising:
• a housing assembly defining a central cavity and at least one opening, and comprising a tracheostomy port configured to couple to a hub of a tracheostomy tube of the patient, wherein the tracheostomy port is in direct fluidic communication with the central cavity;
• at least one HME filter positioned within the housing assembly between the at least one opening and the central cavity, wherein the at least one HME filter is configured to absorb heat and moisture of exhalations from the patient in order to warm and humidify inhalations of the patient flowing from the at least one opening through the HME filter to the tracheostomy port;
• and
• a monitoring tube extending from outside of the housing assembly into the housing assembly, wherein the monitoring tube comprises an open end positioned within the central cavity, and wherein the monitoring tube is configured to be connected to a respiration monitoring device in order to detect respiration parameters of the patient during the sleep study;
• and
• at least one respiration monitoring device fluidically coupled to the monitoring tube and configured to monitor respiration of the patient.

A method of performing a sleep study of a patient with a tracheostomy tube, the method comprising:

• providing a heat moisture exchanger (HME) system, for use during a sleep study of a patient with a tracheostomy, the HME system comprising:
• a housing assembly defining a central cavity and at least one opening, and comprising a tracheostomy port configured to couple to a hub of a tracheostomy tube of the patient, wherein the tracheostomy port is in direct fluidic communication with the central cavity;
• at least one HME filter positioned within the housing assembly between the at least one opening and the central cavity, wherein the at least one HME filter is configured to absorb heat and moisture of exhalations from the patient in order to warm and humidify inhalations of the patient flowing from the at least one opening through the HME filter to the tracheostomy port;
• and
• a monitoring tube extending from outside of the housing assembly into the housing assembly, wherein the monitoring tube comprises an open end positioned within the central cavity, and wherein the monitoring tube is configured to be connected to a respiration monitoring device in order to detect respiration parameters of the patient during the sleep study;
• coupling the tracheostomy port of the HME system to the hub of the tracheostomy tube of the patient;
• coupling the monitoring tube to at least one of an end tidal carbon dioxide detector and a pressure transducer;
• and
• detecting end tidal carbon dioxide and/or inhalation and exhalation airflow of the patient as the patient spontaneously breathes with the end tidal carbon dioxide detector and/or the pressure transducer.