Open AccessAcquired tracheoesophageal fistula due to high intracuff pressure
Author(s) -
Akmal A. Hameed,
Hasan Mohamed,
Motasem Al-Mansoori
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
annals of thoracic medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.639
H-Index - 33
eISSN - 1817-1737
pISSN - 1998-3557
DOI - 10.4103/1817-1737.37950
Subject(s) - medicine , cuff , leak , tracheal tube , tracheostomy tube , surgery , seal (emblem) , tracheoesophageal fistula , tube (container) , endotracheal tube , anesthesia , fistula , airway , intubation , art , mechanical engineering , environmental engineering , engineering , visual arts
High-compliance endotracheal tube cuffs are used to prevent gas leak and also pulmonary aspiration in mechanically ventilated patients. However, the use of the usual cuff inflation volumes may cause tracheal damage and lead to tracheoesophageal fistula.Tracheostomy tube cuffs seal against the tracheal wall and prevent leakage of air around the tube, assuring that the tidal volume is delivered to the lungs. In the past, high-pressure cuffs were used, but these contributed to tracheal injury and have been replaced by high-volume, low-pressure cuffs. For long-term applications, some newer tubes have low-profile (tight to shaft) cuffs that facilitate the tracheostomy tube changes by eliminating the lip that forms when standard cuffs are deflated.