Development of a Reusable Metal 3D-Printed Heat and Moisture Exchanger

Due to a less than optimal humidification performance and adherent use of small heat-and-moisture exchangers (HME), pulmonary complaints (such as coughing and excessive mucus production) remain prominent in patients who had a laryngectomy or patients with a tracheostomy. Although the development of higher performing HMEs without increasing its breathing resistance or size is essential for adherence and clinically relevant, this is challenging to achieve within the design of currently available HMEs.1,2 Commercially available HMEs often consist of a plastic housing and polymer foam core coated with hygroscopic salt. These HMEs are intended as single-use disposable devices, with patients who had a laryngectomy using an average of 2 HMEs per day3 because prolonged use and cleaning of these devices adversely affect their function.4 If an HME can be made reusable by using a material with a high total heat capacity (ie, the ability to store and release a lot of heat for the evaporation and condensation of water),1 then this could potentially result in a higher -performing and cost-effective product and reduce the single