Subjective method for tracheal tube cuff inflation: performance of anesthesiology residents and staff anesthesiologists. Prospective observational study

Endotracheal Tube Cuff Pressures in the Operating Room of a Pediatric Hospital: A Quality Improvement Initiative

Endotracheal tube (ETT) cuff pressures are frequently out of the recommended range of 20-30 cm H₂O. This can lead to multiple iatrogenic complications ranging from cough, sore throat, and tracheal edema to more serious medical issues such as tracheal stenosis, aspiration, nerve injuries, and tracheal rupture. Additionally, current methods to inflate ETT cuffs vary between anesthesia providers and are not consistent in the recommended range. The objective of this quality improvement project was to increase the percentage of cuff pressures between 20 and 30 cm H₂O.

METHODS

Four plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycles were completed in the operating rooms at Nationwide Children's Hospital over 9 months to assess ways to improve the accuracy of obtaining recommended ETT cuff pressures. Control charts were used to evaluate the primary outcome measure.

RESULTS

Preimplementation, ETT cuff pressures were out of the recommended range 76% of the time. Cuff pressures were out of the recommended range 64% of the time with the addition of the air method, 84% of the time in the tidal volume ratio cycle, and 50% of the time using the removal of air technique. The removal of air method was the most effective in achieving cuff pressures within the recommended pressure range (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Using quality improvement methodology, the percentage of ETT cuff pressures falling within the recommended pressure range increased using the removal of air technique. This approach is a simple and practical method that can be easily implemented in the clinical setting and would provide additional safety in the anesthetic management of pediatric patients.

Anterior servikal omurga cerrahisi sonrası farklı endotrakeal tüp kaf basınçlarının disfajı üzerine etkileri

Amaç: Bu çalışmada, anterior servikal omurga cerrahisinde iki farklı endotrakeal kaf basıncının postoperatif disfaji, boğaz ağrısı, disfoni ve hastanede kalış üzerindeki etkilerinin karşılaştırılması amaçlanmıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Cerrahi planlanan 70 hasta rastgele iki gruba ayrıldı. Entübasyondan sonra endotrakeal kaf basıncı Grup I'de (n=35) ve Grup II'de (n=35) sırasıyla 20 cmH2O ve 25 cmH2O'ya şişirildi. Disfajinin derecesi Bazaz disfaji skoru ile değerlendirildi. Boğaz ağrısı Görsel Analog Skala ile değerlendirildi. Operasyon bölgesine ilişkin toplam ağrı skoru VAS kullanılarak değerlendirildi (. Ses kısıklığı, seste herhangi bir değişiklik olup olmamasına göre sert veya gergin olarak değerlendirildi. Disfaji, disfoni ve boğaz ağrısı ameliyat sonrası 1. ve 24. saatlerde değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Gruplar arasında demografik verilerde farklılık yoktu. Ameliyat sonrası 1. ve 24. saatlerde yutma güçlüğü ve boğaz ağrısı Grup I'de Grup II'ye göre anlamlı olarak daha azdı. Disfoni sıklığı Grup I'de Grup II'ye kıyasla sadece cerrahi sonrası 1. saatte anlamlı olarak daha azdı. Gruplar arasında ameliyat sonrası 1. ve 24. saatlerde VAS skorlarında fark yoktu. Sonuç: Bu çalışmada, 25 cmH2O'ya kıyasla endotrakeal kaf basıncı 20 cmH2O ile cerrahi sonrası disfaji gelişme riskinin önemli ölçüde azalttığı gösterilmiştir. Ayrıca, daha düşük kaf basıncı, daha hafif bir boğaz ağrısı, ameliyat sonrası 1. saatte daha az ses kısıklığı ve daha kısa hastanede kalış süresi ile ilişkilendirildi.

Study On Device System to Reduce Tracheal Mucosal Injury in Intubation Patients

The purpose of this study was to develop an automatic bronchial aspiration system to minimize tracheal mucosal damage in ventilator patients. Operation performances of the system&amp;#39;s suction pressure, bronchial intubation depth, suction cycle, and tube cuff pressure were tested. To check clinical results, subjects underwent endoscopy after applying the previous manual method for 24 hours. After that, they underwent endoscopy after applying the proposed suction system for 24 hours. For quantitative evaluation of test results, tracheal mucosal injury was divided into five grades: Grade 0 = normal, Grade 1 = erythema or edema, Grade 2 = erosion, Grade 3 = hemorrhage, and Grade 4 = ulcer or necrosis. In the performance test, an error of up to 12 mmHg occurred within the normal operation error range for suction pressure control. The insertion depth control had a maximum error of 7.0 mm within the normal operation error range. On the other hand, there was no error in the time control or the tube cuff pressure control. In the clinical trial, after using the proposed system for five subjects to find changes in tracheal mucosal injury by endoscopy, reduced injury or no change in injury was found. The system proposed in this study is confirmed to be able to remove sputum while minimizing tracheal mucosal injury that can occur when using previous manual suction device.