Prevention of complications from prolonged tracheal intubation.

Eight commercially available soft cuff endotracheal tubes were studied to determine the relationship between inflation pressure distention of the cuff. Although the balloon cuff may be easily distensible in open air, when confined within the trachea small increments in the inflation volume may produce high pressures. This means that continuous external control of cuff pressure is required to prevent ischemia of the tracheal wall. Major tracheal complications in a busy ICU were examined before and after the introduction of a controlled pressure tube. Control of intratracheal cuff pressures decreased major tracheal complications tenfold and eliminated complications specifically related to the cuff.