Endotracheal tube cuff pressure monitoring and control
Musa Muallem, American University of Beirut
19 January 2011
Dear Editor
I do agree fully with the authers of this article that mandatory monitoring of the ET tube cuff pressure is needed.In my experience in this field of fifty years I likewise found that the ET tube cuff pressure exceeded 30 cm of water in about 50% of cases especially if the operation lated over two hours. Anesthesiologist continue to ignore the above important recommendation in many istitutions because they do not have easy access to devices that monitor and control cuff pressure. Intermittant checking of the cuff pressure during anesthesia is not good enough and has a very poor compliance. The cuff pressure should be monitored and controlled at the required level continouessly and automatically without the anesthesiologist having to worry about it. This situation prompted me to find a solution and develop a home made cheap cuff pressure monitor and regulator installed on each anesthesia machine and run by the oxygen supply available. No need for a syringe to inflate the cuff ,simply the pilot tube of the cuff is connected to the monitor-regulator,the presure of the cuff is continouesly displayed and kept at the set level. If readers are interrested in the details of constructing such monitor-regulator I will be ready to provide I do not know of similar devises on the market , if there is I will be pleased to have the information. Editor of the journal is free to edit the above text as he sees fit Thank you
Musa Muallem MD Professor Emeritus Anesthesiology Department American Univercity of Beirut Medical Center
Endotracheal tube cuff pressure monitoring and control
19 January 2011
Dear Editor
I do agree fully with the authers of this article that mandatory monitoring of the ET tube cuff pressure is needed.In my experience in this field of fifty years I likewise found that the ET tube cuff pressure exceeded 30 cm of water in about 50% of cases especially if the operation lated over two hours. Anesthesiologist continue to ignore the above important recommendation in many istitutions because they do not have easy access to devices that monitor and control cuff pressure. Intermittant checking of the cuff pressure during anesthesia is not good enough and has a very poor compliance. The cuff pressure should be monitored and controlled at the required level continouessly and automatically without the anesthesiologist having to worry about it. This situation prompted me to find a solution and develop a home made cheap cuff pressure monitor and regulator installed on each anesthesia machine and run by the oxygen supply available. No need for a syringe to inflate the cuff ,simply the pilot tube of the cuff is connected to the monitor-regulator,the presure of the cuff is continouesly displayed and kept at the set level.
If readers are interrested in the details of constructing such monitor-regulator I will be ready to provide
I do not know of similar devises on the market , if there is I will be pleased to have the information.
Editor of the journal is free to edit the above text as he sees fit
Thank you
Musa Muallem MD
Professor Emeritus
Anesthesiology Department
American Univercity of Beirut Medical Center
Competing interests
None declared