Cuffed tracheal tubes--physical and behavioral characteristics.

This study compares physical and behavioral characteristics of currently used cuffed tracheal tubes. Variability in physical and behavioral characteristics between size 8 tracheal tubes and cuffs exists: radius of tube curvature varies from 12.1 to 15.8 cm, bevel angle 39 to 56 degrees, bevel direction 73 to 107 degrees, distance from proximal end of bevel to cuff 15.4 to 24.4 mm, internal tube diameter 7.5 to 8.8 mm, wall thickness 1.14 to 2.37 mm, force to collapse 1020 to 3103 g, angle to kink 52 to 96 degrees, and indentation hardness 65.4 to 83.1. Cuff lengths vary from 29.7 to 45.3 mm, thickness 0.03 to 0.54 mm, diameter 14.5 to 32 mm, and cuff resting volume 0.15 to 19.9 ml. We recommend use of a soft, thermolabile, kink- and collapse-resistant tracheal tube fitted with a soft, thin-walled, tough, compliant, moderately long cuff, with a moderately large resting volume and diameter larger than tracheal diameter. Argyle, National Catheter, Ohio, Portex, Rusch "safety," and Shiley tracheal tubes resist collapse and kinking. Argyle, Lanz, National Catheter "hi-lo," National Catheter "intermediate hi-lo," Ohio, and Portex "profile" cuffs are thin and have diameters larger than the average male tracheal diameter.