Heat Moisture Exchange Cassette (HME)

After the larynx has been surgically removed and the patient breathes through a hole surgically placed in the trachea (the main branch of the windpipe with cartilage), the patient often develops problems because air does not pass through the nasal passageway where it is normally warmed and humidified; therefore, the heat moisture exchange cassette is placed over the opening in the trachea in order to help humidify the inhaled air. The HME is porous and keeps moisture and warmth from the exhaled air, which can improve the quality of the inhaled air.