title: Comparison of microaspiration around TaperGuard tube cuffs and standard tracheal tubes in obese patients subjected to surgery under general anesthesia.
abstract: Tracheal secretion leakage might lead to ventilator-associated pneumonia. Standard tracheal tube cuffs are cylindrical in shape. Bronchial tree aspiration is observed in the presence of leakage past tracheal tube cuffs. The new TaperGuard tracheal tube has a cuff in the shape of a cone, preventing from the development of microtubules and microaspiration. The aim of the study was to compare standard tracheal tube cuffs with TaperGuard tubes, in terms of protection from microaspiration under general anesthesia.
  
  
  METHODS
  The observational study evaluated incidents of leakage during general anesthesia with intubation and mechanical ventilation in patients with significant obesity. The study group comprised 20 patients with the BMI >40 kg/m2 subjected to elective surgery under general anesthesia with intubation and mechanical ventilation, randomly divided into two subgroups: standard tracheal tube and TaperGuard tube.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 4 of 10 patients with standard tracheal tubes we observed leakage around the cuff. In case of TaperGuard tubes no such leakage was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TaperGuard tubes protect against microaspirations, while standard tracheal tubes have no such properties.
authors.forename: Ewelina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gaszyńska
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ratajczyk
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wieczorek
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Szewczyk
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Gaszyński
mesh_terms: D057868:Anastomotic Leak / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000379:methods*; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D053717:Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011897:Random Allocation