Balloon Palpation vs Loss of Resistance Syringe for Safe Endotracheal Tube Cuff Pressure; a Randomized Clinical Trial

Makerere University178 enrolled

Overview

This study is aimed at establishing whether use of loss of resistance syringe (LOR) that is traditionally used for identifying epidural space, is a better method for providing safe cuff pressures in adults intubated with cuffed endotracheal tubes. The conventional method is the use of pilot ballon palpation (PBP) to approximate cuff pressures but this is associated with airway damage. The study hypothesis states that both the loss of resistance syringe method and the pilot balloon palpation methods achieve the recommended endotracheal tube intracuff pressures.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

178

Conditions

Tracheal Damage

Interventions

PBP

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * American society of anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classes I-IV Exclusion Criteria: * Known or anticipated laryngo-tracheal abnormalities. * Patients with cough, sore throat, dysphagia and dysphonia. * Patients in whom intubation is attempted more than twice

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

The percentage of subjects with intracuff pressure ranging from 20cm H2O to 30cmH2O

This outcome will be measured within the first 5 minutes after intubation of the patient. The recommended range of intracuff pressure for this study is 20-30cmH2O

Time frame: 5minutes

Secondary Outcomes

Incidence of early postoperative airway symptoms

Patents will be reviewed 12 hours after extubation for cough, sore throat, dysphagia and dysphonia.

Time frame: 12 hours