title: Comparison of a novel lycra endotracheal tube cuff to standard polyvinyl chloride cuff and polyurethane cuff for fluid leak prevention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A high-volume low-pressure endotracheal tube (ETT) cuff forms folds along its contact with the trachea, allowing mucus leakage into the lungs. We developed a thin-walled ETT cuff made of Lycra polyurethane.
  
  
  METHODS
  In vitro, we tested 6 of each of the new prototype Lycra cuff, the Mallinkrodt Hi-Lo ETT (polyvinyl chloride cuff), and the Kimberly-Clark Microcuff ETT (polyurethane cuff), for leakage, in an acrylic mock trachea (inner diameter 20-mm), with a cuff inflation pressure of 20 cm H(2)O. We poured 15 mL of methylene-blue colored water into the acrylic tube above the cuff and observed for leakage for 24 hours.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The Lycra cuffs had no folds upon inflation in the mock trachea and completely prevented fluid leakage for 24 hours (P < .001 vs the Hi-Lo and the Microcuff). The average leakage past the Hi-Lo was 1,182 ± 1,321 mL/h. The average leakage past the Microcuff was 1.2 ± 0.4 mL/h (P < .001 vs the Hi-Lo).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our Lycra cuff provided complete tracheal sealing in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Section of Pulmonary and Cardiac Assist Devices, Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine Branch, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Theodor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kolobow
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cressoni
authors.forename: Myra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Epp
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Corti
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cadringher
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zanella
mesh_terms: D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008422:Materials Testing / Q000379:methods*; D011140:Polyurethanes; D011143:Polyvinyl Chloride; D011312:Pressure; D012121:Respiration, Artificial
chemical_list: D011140:Polyurethanes; D011143:Polyvinyl Chloride