title: [Continuous monitoring of endotracheal tube cuff pressure: best practice in intensive care unit].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The endotracheal tube cuff pressure must be maintained within an optimal range of 20-30 cmH2O, which ensures ventilation, prevents aspiration of secretions and guarantees a good tracheal perfusion.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe changes in the endotracheal tube cuff pressure over time through a continuous monitoring device, and assess the number of nursing actions.
  
  
  METHODS
  Observation of 72 patients admitted to a general ICU and monitored for 12 hours, with a continuos monitoring device of endotracheal tube cuff pressure (PressureEasy(®)).
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the first four hours 4 cases (5.6%) of underinflated cuff were observed, and 5 (6.9%) of overinflation. From the fifth to the eighth hour 7 (9.7%) patients showed a pressure <20 cmH2O, and 3 (4.2%) >30 cmH2O. During the last four hours 22 cases (30.5%) of underinflated cuff, and 4 (5.6%) of overinflation were observed. More than half of the patients (n=38, 52.8%) did not require any intervention of inflation or deflation of the cuff, 25 (34.7%) only one and 7 (9.7%) patients two, and twe patients, three. The majority of patients required the inflation of the cuff.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study supports the need of continuous endotracheal tube cuff pressure monitoring to promptly identify deviations from the pressure ranges, allowing their rapid correction.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Danielis
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Benatti
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Celotti
authors.forename: Amato
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Monte
authors.forename: Omar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Trombini
mesh_terms: D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units / Q000592:standards; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000451:nursing*; D007558:Italy; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry / Q000451:nursing; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000451:nursing*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011312:Pressure; D016896:Treatment Outcome