Effects of Nasal Airflow on Sleep in Tracheotomized Patients

The passage of air through the nasal cavities generates rhythmic oscillations transmitted by the olfactory bulb to the brain, which induces cerebral activation in functional brain areas and is associated with better cognitive performance compared to oral breathing. Consequently, the abolition of nasal ventilation - intrinsic in tracheotomized and ventilated patients - could have deleterious effects on brain activity. Besides the loss of olfaction, the abolition of nasal ventilation could affect brain activity and sleep. The hypothesis of the present study is that the restoration of nasal stimulation by the passage of humidified nasal airflow in tracheotomized and ventilated patients improves sleep quality, notably with a greater proportion of time spent in REM sleep.