title: The incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia using the PneuX System with or without elective endotracheal tube exchange: A pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The PneuX System is a novel endotracheal tube and tracheal seal monitor, which has been designed to minimise the aspiration of oropharyngeal secretions. We aimed to determine the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in patients who were intubated with the PneuX System and to establish whether intermittent subglottic secretion drainage could be performed reliably and safely using the PneuX System.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this retrospective observational study, data was collected from 53 sequential patients. Nine (17%) patients were initially intubated with the PneuX System and 44 (83%) patients underwent elective exchange to the PneuX System. There were no episodes of VAP while the PneuX System was in situ. On an intention to treat basis, the incidence VAP was 1.8%. There were no complications from, or failure of, subglottic secretion drainage during the study.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study demonstrates that a low incidence of VAP is possible using the PneuX System. Our study also demonstrates that elective exchange and intermittent subglottic secretion drainage can be performed reliably and safely using the PneuX System.
authors: Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings Lynn, Norfolk, PE30 4ET, UK. ajdoyle@gmail.com.
authors: Alex
authors: A
authors: Doyle
authors: Andrew
authors: A
authors: Fletcher
authors: Joseph
authors: J
authors: Carter
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Blunt
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Young