Clinical trial NCT01058928: Effects of Tracheal Tube Size on Pulmonary Aspiration
Official title: Effects of Tracheal Tube Size on Pulmonary Aspiration Different Endotracheal Tube Size Influences Pulmonary Aspiration
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Conditions: The Reduction of Aspiration Rate in Intubated Patients
Keywords: Tracheal tube
Size
Lead sponsor: Seoul National University Bundang Hospital
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2010-01-29
Enrollment: 36
Sex: MALE
Minimum age (years): 20
Maximum age (years): 65
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: no
Observational model: CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: Patients,scheduled for elective cardiac surgery under general anesthesia

Brief summary: Fluid leak around the cuff is minimized when the endotracheal tube size is small relative to the size of the trachea. In the current study, the investigators assess the influence of different HVLP endotracheal tube size on fluid leakage around the cuff in a benchtop model and in anesthetized patients.

Detailed description: The use of a high-volume and low-pressure (HVLP) endotracheal cuff has reduced the cuff-induced tracheal damage because the cuff conforms passively to tracheal contours as it expands during inflation and the cuff inflation pressure is assumed to be equal to cuff-to-trachea pressure. However, longitudinal folds of a HVLP cuff occur on inflation within the trachea, as the diameter of the cuff is greater than that of the trachea, and these folds provide channels for an aspiration or gas leakage.

Silent aspiration of upper airway secretions has been reported in patients undergoing general anesthesia and in the intensive care unit (ICU). A previous study reported the 83% aspiration of subglottic dye detected by bronchoscopy in anesthetized patients, and other study of intubated patients with HVLP cuffs in the ICU showed 87% aspiration rate.

Intubation-related (ventilator associated pneumonia) pneumonia is a leading cause of prolongation of hospital stay, mortality and morbidity during the postoperative period and in the ICU. Therefore, it is important to achieve a better seal around the cuff without tracheal damage, which would reduce the incidence of pneumonia in intubated patients.

A previous benchtop study demonstrated that the leak around the cuff is minimized when the endotracheal tube size is small relative to the size of the trachea. In the current study, we assess the influence of different HVLP endotracheal tube size on fluid leakage around the cuff in a benchtop model and in anesthetized patients.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Male patients, aged 20-65 yr scheduled for elective cardiac surgery under general anesthesia

Exclusion Criteria:

* Patients with an upper airway and vocal cord disease, pneumonia before surgery, a history of tracheostomy and tracheal stenosis.

Primary outcomes:
measure: Aspiration rate
timeFrame: during 5 hours
Secondary outcomes:
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Gyeonggi-do
country: Korea, Republic of
facility: Seoul National University Bundang Hospital
Study officials:
References:
citation: Seegobin RD, van Hasselt GL. Endotracheal cuff pressure and tracheal mucosal blood flow: endoscopic study of effects of four large volume cuffs. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed). 1984 Mar 31;288(6422):965-8. doi: 10.1136/bmj.288.6422.965.
citation: Pavlin EG, VanNimwegan D, Hornbein TF. Failure of a high-compliance low-pressure cuff to prevent aspiration. Anesthesiology. 1975 Feb;42(2):216-9. doi: 10.1097/00000542-197502000-00019. No abstract available.
citation: Blunt MC, Young PJ, Patil A, Haddock A. Gel lubrication of the tracheal tube cuff reduces pulmonary aspiration. Anesthesiology. 2001 Aug;95(2):377-81. doi: 10.1097/00000542-200108000-00019.