Does anyone know what tracheostomy mask weaning is ?

[Letspray]

My relative is in ICU and has tracheostomy. Today they have said they are they are going to try to tracheostomy mask wean when he is awake. Please can anyone help what this is ???

[FamilyHistorian]

Not 100% sure but I think the trachy is disconnected from the O2 and a plastic mask is put over it and the O2 is fed via that it forms like a reservoir of O2

[LeopardGecko]

I'm not 100% sure either but I know my husband had a mini oxygen mask put over his tracheostomy for increasingly longer periods of time when they were weaning him off the ventilator.

[Sepsur]

Not quite sure but I know it’s a good thing - it means they think your loved one is able to not need life support.

[Bobbinlady1]

It is indeed a good sign. My husband started being weaned like this for 2 hours twice a day with oxygen being supplied via a mask fixed at the end of the trachy tube 6 days ago and then the time was gradually increased. He has now had the trachy removed and is just getting a little oxygen via a nasal tube. Just a word of caution though - it can be quite frightening to be free of the ventilator support, especially if they have been ventilated for some time (8 weeks in my husband's case) and patients can experience panic attacks if they feel that they can't breathe. Not really surprising after what they have been through.