title: Performance of a novel pressure release valve for cuff pressure control in pediatric tracheal tubes.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute and chronic hyperinflation of tracheal tube cuffs represents a persistent risk factor for airway damage in children when cuffed tracheal tubes are used. In order to overcome this particular risk, a cuff pressure (CP) pop-off valve has been designed to avoid CP exceeding 20 cmH(2)O.
  
  
  METHODS
  The performance of the novel pop-off valve has been evaluated in an in vitro set-up during slow and rapid air insufflation by a syringe or a CP manometer or inadvertent compression of the cuff pilot balloon while measuring cuff and tracheal wall pressure (WP) in ID 3.0 mm cuffed tracheal tubes. Steady-state performance was evaluated during nitrous oxide exposure of tracheal tube cuffs (ID 3.0 mm).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The novel CP pop-off valve avoided cuff hyperinflation during rapid air volume changes and showed reliable performance during steady-state nitrous oxide exposure to the tube cuff.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These preliminary results show that the CP pop-off valve limits the effect of rapid, potentially dangerous manual cuff inflation maneuvers and reliably prevents CP exceeding the predetermined level of 20 cmH(2)O when exposed to nitrous oxide.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia, University Children's Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland. alex.dullenkopf@kispi.unizh.ch
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dullenkopf
authors.forename: Vera
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Bernet-Buettiker
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maino
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weiss
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D010372:Pediatrics; D011312:Pressure; D012307:Risk Factors