The Mucus Slurper: A novel tracheal tube that requires no tracheal tube suctioning. A preliminary report.
OBJECTIVE
The buildup of mucus within the endotracheal tube (ETT) progressively reduces its internal volume. We devised the Mucus Slurper as an integral part of the tracheal tube to aspirate all mucus automatically at its distal tip.


METHODS
In vitro, and in vivo studies in sheep at the National Institutes of Health, NHLBI, PCCMB.


METHODS
Six sheep, sedated, paralyzed, and mechanically ventilated


METHODS
We evaluated the Mucus Slurper in vitro, and we evaluated its efficacy and safety in three healthy sheep during 24 h on volume-controlled mechanical ventilation in comparison to three sheep managed with open tracheal tube suctioning.


RESULTS
In vitro: with the Mucus Slurper connected to a source of vacuum of 450-500 mmHg the total volume of a single suction lasting 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 s was, respectively, 75.4 +/- 7.9, 114.5 +/- 4.6, and 143.4 +/- 8.7 ml; with the measured vacuum within the lumen of the Mucus Slurper ring of 37 cmH2O. In vivo: during mechanical ventilation we aspirated through the Mucus Slurper 13.4 +/- 3.3 cc mucus/24 h. During the course of single aspiration the Mucus Slurper never affected the level of applied PEEP. The tracheal tube was free of tracheal secretions in the Mucus Slurper group while thin secretions were found within the ETT in the control group.


CONCLUSIONS
The Mucus Slurper is a novel device designed to keep the tracheal tube and proximal trachea free of mucus. In studies in sheep lasting 24 h the Mucus Slurper was safe and prevented all mucus accumulation within the ETT.
Kolobow
Theodor
T
Pulmonary-Critical Care Medicine Branch, Section on Pulmonary and Cardiac Assist Devices, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20892-1590, USA. kolobowt@nhlbi.nih.gov
Li Bassi
Gianluigi
G
Curto
Francesco
F
Zanella
Alberto
A
D000818:Animals; D004867:Equipment Design; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D009093:Mucus / Q000378:metabolism*; D012756:Sheep; D013396:Suction / Q000295:instrumentation*