Televisit with TytoHome™ device in medically complex child in long-term mechanical ventilation: a pilot study

Abstract

Background: During the pandemic, the pneumology team at Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital highlighted that telemedicine was a valuable tool for remotely managing the medical needs of children with medical complexity (CMC). Following the telemedicine experience during the emergency phase, a telemedicine service was established, and new tools were tested to optimize televisits and the overall eHealth approach for patients. In this context, the TytoHome™ device was tested for performing objective examinations remotely. This pilot study, conducted at our hospital, explored the management of CMC patients on long-term mechanical ventilation via the telemedicine platform and the TytoHome™ device. Methods: This study involved the treatment of 10 pediatric patients over one year using this approach. The patients were already receiving care at our hospital and were undergoing long-term mechanical ventilation (LTV) at home—4 on invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and 6 on non-invasive ventilation (NIV). A database was developed to collect patient data, including personal details, vital parameters, objective examinations, audio quality, and patient satisfaction. A descriptive analysis was subsequently performed using the data collected during the earlier stages of the study. Results: The utility of the TytoCare device for medically complex children was evaluated. The families were “satisfied” with the remote follow-up visits, and healthcare personnel rated the audio quality of the visits as “good.” Conclusions: In conclusion, the remote management of these patients using the Tyto device offered several advantages. In our experience, Tyto proved to be a useful tool for the remote medical management of complex patients.