Is anyone aware of a comfortable trach plate or a trach cover? It should be soft.
My husband has had a trach for seven months and it hurts every day when he moves his head.
The plate in the front that the collar threads thru is plastic. I've asked our medical provider but they do not seem to know of any product or way to make it easier on him. I'e used cotton balls but they fall out, etc. Thanks very much.
If your husband is using the Shiley type trach, you may want to ask your DME provider for "4 X 4 Split gauze". The 4 x 4 tightly woven (soft) gauze is woven with a split designed into the 4 x 4 square pad. This allows you to place the gauze under the "plate", protecting the skin . The 'split' designed into the weave prevents loose threads from entering the trach, as may happen if you were to cut a split into a 'regular' 4 x 4 gauze pad.
How are you? When I got my first Trac tube at MCV they put in one made by Shiley. It was made out of hard plastic and it started to irritate me under my chin and with the tube being so close to the nerve it would some time push against it and would be painful at times. The Respiratory therapist that I use wanted me to try a different one. The one that he brought out for me to try was the “Bivona® Mid-Range Aire-Cuf® Adult Tracheostomy Tubes with Talk Attachment”. It is made of silicon and is really soft. I have had no problem with it. There is one thing that is different from the Shiley. The Shiley you had to change the inter cannula daily and with the Bivona there is no cannula to change. As long as you do proper suctioning you will have no problems. We replace my tube every 3 to 4 weeks. When we replace mine it is just as clean as the Shiley was. In my opinion it is far more comfortable than the Shiley. Here is the website for the Bivona:
http://www.smiths-medical.com/catalog/bivona-tracheostomy-tubes/adult/ cuffed-talk-attachment/bivona-mid-range-aire1.html
I had just about given up. Thank you SO much for responding. I will contact the DME tomorrow. Our respiratory therapist has heard of something that sounds like this but had no idea how to describe or order. The people on this site are a true blessing to us.
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