Decannulation (1602)

Care for your child

What is decannulation?

• Your child can now breathe through their mouth and nose. Now the trach tube can be safely removed. This is called decannulation.
• Your child will stay at least one night in the PICU to monitor their heart and lungs with the trach tube out. They may transfer to another floor before going home.
• Your child will have an open hole where the trach used to be. This is called a stoma. The stoma will start to close in the first 24 hours. It can take many months to close. Your ENT doctor will
  continue to watch your child’s stoma. If it is not healing well other care may be needed.

Care after decannulation

• Keep the stoma site covered at all times. Use a Band-Aid ® or gauze and tape as your doctor ordered.
• Make sure your child does not put anything in the stoma site. This includes their fingers.
• Clean your child’s neck, including the stoma area. Use a clean cloth and soapy water daily and as needed.
• It is normal to see some secretions drain from the stoma for some time. You may also see secretions come out of the stoma when your child coughs. Use a tissue or clean towel to wipe
  the secretions away.
• While the stoma is open, keep your child’s neck above water. This will keep water from getting into the stoma site. Water can bother the airways.

What follow up medical care will my child need?

When your child goes home, they will need follow up care. Your child may go to the:

• Pediatrician for routine child care.
• Trach Vent clinic for one final appointment.
• ENT doctor who did the tracheostomy for follow up of the stoma.
• Pulmonary doctor.

The nurse on the Tracheostomy Team will help set up these appointments.

Home nursing services

Private duty nursing is no longer covered by insurance 2 weeks after decannulation. Most often, these nurses can still help for up to two weeks. Talk with your home nurses or nursing agency about
this.

Respiratory equipment

Your child may not need most of the respiratory equipment in your home. Your home care company will be told to stop sending items that are no longer needed. This may include:

• Heated Humidity.
• Oxygen, unless your child still needs it.
• Suction Machine.
• Apnea monitor.
• Pulse oximeter.

Disposable supplies will no longer be sent to your home. You may already own some of the equipment your child has been using. You will be able to keep everything you own and any
disposable supplies you already have.

Breathing treatments

Your child may still need breathing treatments. Before discharge, the Respiratory Therapist will teach you how to do the breathing treatments. You will use a mask and spacer or a mask and nebulizer.

For other health and wellness information, check out this resource:

https://kidshealth.org/ChildrensWi/en/parents

This sheet was created to help you care for your child or family member. It does not take the place of medical care. Talk with your healthcare provider for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.