Tracheostomy is a procedure wherein a tube is inserted into the trachea (wind pipe) of a patient below the vocal cord that ensures smooth breathing by promoting flow of air into the patient’s lungs. It is also referred as stoma. When there is an obstruction in the airway causing respiratory distress, patients undergo emergency tracheotomy. Some of the situations that may indicate the need for Tracheostomy are cancer around the neck region, coma, surgery involving the facial region, tumours, prolonged lung diseases, paralysis of muscles, various infections etc.

Doctors and Nursing Care Givers at One Life ensure that the patient is closely monitored so the he or she gets adapted to the process of breathing through the Tracheostomy tube. After the patient gets discharged, the caretakers from One Life Health Care make it a point to take proper precautions for diligent care at the patient’s home. The following are the various steps with respect to the caretaking:

• The caretaker should ensure that the patient doesn’t strain much and must communicate only through writing and other techniques as instructed by the caretaker.
• The nursing caregivers follow the stringent guidelines to take care of the tracheostomy tube, regular suctioning, maintaining hygiene, for which they are specifically trained
• The caretakers must use what is called as Tracheostomy cover to prevent infections from various particles present in air, dust etc.
• The caretaker also monitors the vitals regularly to proactively react to any complications that might arise
• The other major precautions with respect to hygiene are:

* Be equipped with the required supplies.

* Regular washing of hands, use of gloves and posture of the patients play a vital role.

* The inner cannula, which is a part of the tube, should be regularly cleaned.

* Regular inspection of the skin around the stomy as the patient would be prone to infections.

Thus One Life Health Care helps in providing remarkable care measures at home for such patients.