Comparison of fluid leakage from four different cuffed pediatric endotracheal tubes using a pediatric airway simulation model

This study used an airway model to compare the ability of a pediatric endotracheal tube with a taper‐shaped cuff to prevent microaspiration relative to endotracheal tubes with conventional cuffs. Four different types of 5.0‐mm inner diameter cuffed pediatric endotracheal tubes (taper‐shaped cuff [ T aper], high‐volume low‐pressure [ Hi ‐ Lo ], middle‐volume low‐pressure [Intermediate], and low‐volume low‐profile [ Lo ‐ Pro ]) were fixed within vertically placed acrylic tubes. The cuffs were maintained at 10, 20, or 30 cmH 2 O pressure and 3 mL of simulated stomach contents was added to the top of the cuffs. The volume of leakage around the cuffs after 5 min and 4 h was measured. After 5 min, the volume of leakage was significantly lower with the Taper than with the Hi ‐ Lo , Intermediate, or Lo ‐ Pro at all pressure settings. After 4 h, leakage was significantly lower with the Taper than with the other three tubes regardless of initial cuff pressure ( P < 0.05).