title: Presence of biofilm on adult tracheostomy tubes.
abstract: We conducted a prospective observational study of tracheostomy tubes with three primary goals: (1) to identify the presence and location of bacterial biofilms on adult tubes, (2) to determine how soon after insertion of a tube the presence of a biofilm could be identified, and (3) to identify the bacterial organisms that formed the biofilms on these tubes. Our study materials consisted of 7 adult tracheostomy tubes that had been changed during a routine outpatient clinic visit or hospital consultation. The tubes were examined for the presence of biofilms on the posterior aspect of the outer cannula; also, specimens were obtained from the posterosuperior aspect of the cuff on the 3 tubes that had a cuff. Samples of 2 to 3 mm were taken from each site and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. Bacterial biofilms were found on 4 of the 7 tubes; they were present on the outer cannula of 3 cuffless tubes that had been inserted 14 days, 4 months, and 2 years previously and on the cuff of 1 tube that had been inserted 10 days previously. The biofilms were composed of gram-positive cocci in pairs that were likely consistent with Staphylococcus epidermidis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, MI 48202, USA.
authors.forename: Danny
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meslemani
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yaremchuk
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rontal
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D018441:Biofilms; D057785:Catheters / Q000382:microbiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006813:Humidity; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013212:Staphylococcus epidermidis / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D014139:Tracheostomy / Q000295:instrumentation*