I doubt that any RRT, EMT, or other medical professional would encourage a person to tape. It simply goes against everything in their training for helping humans in distress. Assuring clear airway is generally job number one, even ahead of stopping bleeding, as I understand it.Cuda wrote: . . . Archangle claims using nasal pillows and tape can lead to aspiration as puke would have no where to go. . . .
On the other hand, most medical practices and procedures involve some remote risk of death. People have died from taking painkillers or getting teeth pulled, after all. I have no trouble with people informing other people of even very slight risks when the consequences can be profound, as long as the risk isn't being overstated for a perfectly healthy (other than OSA), sober human asleep in his or her own bed. The problem is, no one knows where to draw the line between stating a remote possibility and overstating it, since I am aware of no scientific studies on the matter, or of anyone coming up with a way to have such a study. No one knows the incidence of spontaneous vomiting during sleep among the medically-sound nonmedicated, as far as I know. Some people go to bed drunk. There is always the possibility of sleeping pills or cold medicine and food poisoning combining, I guess, for anybody.
Because of there being some remote risk to it, slight though I think it to be, I would personally never actively encourage anyone to tape up, since the consequences, however remote the chances, could be catastrophic. But I would still mention taping as a possibility for personal choice to a fellow patient having leak problems. The decision of whether it is worth the slight risk is likely, in my nonscientific judgment, much the same as deciding whether to take a painkiller or to have a tooth pulled--every man and woman has to make that call for himself or herself based on personal circumstance. I choose not to hand people my personal OTC painkillers, but I mention painkillers to people in pain.
I am glad taping is so often discussed in this forum so that people who choose to do it can do it as effectively and safely as possible, according to their own judgment.
Just my off-topic 2 cents on taping.
