Estudo das Pressões no Interior dos Balonetes de Tubos Traqueais * Study of Tracheal Tube Intra-Cuff Pressure

SUMMARY AranhaAGA,ForteV,PerfeitoJAJ,LeaoLEV,ImaedaCJ,Julia-no Y - Study of Tracheal Tube Intra-Cuff Pressure BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Since controlling tra-cheal tubecuffsinternal pressureisunusual andthereisnode-taileddescriptionintheliteratureonhowtomaintainitbelow30cmH 2 O without manometer, this study aimed at checking tra-cheal tube intra-cuff pressures in intensive care unit and oper-ating room patients. A maneuver was tested to keep intra-cuffpressurebelow30cmH 2 O,butatminimumlevelsneededforven-tilator cycling with no tidal volume leakage. METHODS: Tracheal tube intra-cuff pressures were evaluatedin 50 intensive care unit intubated patients (Group I) and 72intubatedpatientsintheoperatingroom(GroupII).Amaneuverwas tested to obtain the minimum tracheal tube intra-cuff pres-sure to maintain adequate ventilation with no airleakage.Initialtracheal tube intra-cuff pressure (P1) was recorded using agaged digital manometer (cmH 2 O) coupled to a 15-ml syringe.Oropharynxsecretionwasaspirated.Withtheinvestigator’sex-ternalacousticmeatuspositioned10-20cmapartfrompatient’smouthandcuffconnectedtothemanometer,cuffwasslowlyde-flated until a murmur sound was heard, determined by tidal vol-ume leakage during the inspiratory period of artificialventilation. At this moment, cuff was slowly inflated until mur-mur disappearance. Final intra-cuff pressure (P2) and the re-maining air volume in the manometer syringe (V) wererecorded.