Dr. Biplob Borthakur explains the working of high flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) therapy through high flow nasal cannula (HFNC),which is currently finding use at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic to help patients with respiratory distress. Here he elaborates on the basics of the equipment, scope of use in anesthesia, intensive care and emergency medicine, and how it can be used. 

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High flow oxygen therapy has always been advocated for patients with mild respiratory distress, and in the quest many oxygen delivery systems has been tried. In the setting of infective respiratory diseases with potential for aerosol generation and contamination of the clinical environment, and particularly at this time of the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of high flow nasal cannula is finding special significance.

What is high flow nasal cannula (HFNC)?

A high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) system needs to have two important components in addition to providing oxygen. As it involves very high flow, it should: