98%
921
2 minutes
20
Objectives: Microaspiration of subglottic secretions plays a pivotal role in ventilator-associated pneumonia. Impact of endotracheal tube cuff material and shape on tracheal sealing performance remains debated. The primary objective was to compare the tracheal sealing performance of polyvinyl chloride tapered, cylindrical and spherical cuffs. Secondary objectives were to determine the impact of continuous cuff pressure control on sealing performance and pressure variability.
Design: Prospective randomized ex vivo animal study.
Setting: French research laboratory.
Subjects: Seventy-two ex vivo pig tracheal two-lung blocks.
Interventions: Blocks were randomly intubated with cylindrical (n = 26), tapered (n = 24), or spherical (n = 22) polyvinyl chloride endotracheal tube cuffs. Two milliliter of methylene blue were instilled above the cuff to quantify microaspirations, and lungs were ventilated for 2 hours. Continuous cuff pressure control was implemented in 33 blocks.
Measurements And Main Results: Cuff pressures were continuously recorded, and after 2 hours, a microaspiration score was calculated. Tapered cuffs improved cuff sealing performance compared with spherical cuffs with or without continuous cuff pressure control. Compared with spherical cuffs, tapered cuffs reduced the microaspiration score without and with continuous pressure control by 65% and 72%, respectively. Continuous cuff pressure control did not impact sealing performance. Tapered cuffs generated higher cuff pressures and increased the time spent with overinflation compared with spherical cuffs (median [interquartile range], 77.9% [0-99.8] vs. 0% [0-0.5]; p = 0.03). Continuous cuff pressure control reduced the variability of tapered and spherical cuffs likewise the time spent with overinflation of tapered and cylindrical cuffs.
Conclusions: Polyvinyl chloride tapered cuffs sealing enhanced performance at the cost of an increase in cuff pressure and in time spent with overinflation. Continuous cuff pressure control reduced the variability and normalized cuff pressures without impacting sealing performance.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/CCM.0000000000002764 | DOI Listing |
Chest
September 2025
Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute/Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia.
Background: Hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS) to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) currently requires placement of a cuff or 'saddle' electrode around or adjacent to the hypoglossal nerve(s). Limitations for this therapy include cost, invasiveness, and variable efficacy.
Research Question: Can HNS applied via percutaneous implantation of a linear, multi-pair electrode array restore airflow to airway narrowing and/or obstruction, and improve airway collapsibility in people with OSA?
Study Design And Methods: Participants with OSA undergoing drug induced sleep endoscopy with propofol were instrumented with an epiglottic pressure catheter, nasal mask and pneumotachograph.
Hypertension
September 2025
School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia (A.E.S.).
Background: Blood pressure (BP) is a common clinical measurement, now increasingly done at home. Media websites often display images of BP measurement to represent clinical medicine, but many images deviate from guidelines, potentially creating misperceptions on how measurement should be performed. We evaluated the accuracy of BP measurement images online according to the 2023 International Consensus on Standardized Clinic BP Measurement.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPaediatr Anaesth
September 2025
Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Introduction: Endotracheal tube (ETT) cuff pressures that exceed 20-30 cmHO may lead to iatrogenic adverse effects such as cough, sore throat, and tracheal edema or more serious complications including tracheal stenosis, recurrent laryngeal nerve injury, and tracheal rupture. The current study evaluates a novel technique, titration of the ratio of expiratory to inspiratory tidal volumes (TV), to regulate intracuff pressure.
Methods: This prospective, cross-over trial measured intracuff pressure in a cohort of pediatric patients presenting for general anesthesia with an ETT.
Cureus
August 2025
Department of Anesthesiology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, PAK.
Background The prevalence of white coat hypertension (WCH) among surgical patients is a significant concern. WCH refers to a condition where individuals with normal blood pressure at home exhibit elevated readings when measured at a medical facility, affecting clinical decision-making processes. The aim is to determine the prevalence of WCH among patients undergoing elective surgery at a tertiary care hospital and to evaluate its association with demographic factors, surgical type, and perioperative waiting time.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCirc Cardiovasc Interv
September 2025
Division of Vascular Medicine, Department of Medicine (J.A.B.), The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas.
Background: Patients with peripheral artery disease experience walking impairment that is incompletely explained by large-artery atherosclerotic occlusive disease and abnormal ankle-brachial index (ABI). Microvascular dysfunction is associated with adverse outcomes, including amputation, but its effect on ambulation is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that skeletal muscle microvascular function directly associates with walking distance, is a more sensitive indicator of walking distance than conduit artery blood inflow, and correlates with ambulatory improvement following peripheral artery disease interventions.
View Article and Find Full Text PDF