Safety and reliability of the sealing cuff pressure of the Microcuff pediatric tracheal tube for prevention of post-extubation morbidity in children: A comparative study

OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sealing pressure as an inflation technique of the Microcuff pediatric tracheal cuffed tube. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 60 children were enrolled in this study. After induction of anesthesia and intubation with Microcuff pediatric tracheal tube, patients were randomly assigned, to one of the three groups. Control group (n = 20) the cuff was inflated to a cuff pressure of 20 cm H(2)O; sealing group (n = 20) the cuff was inflated to prevent the air leak at peak airway pressure of 20 cm H(2)O and the finger group (n = 20) the cuff was inflated to a suitable pressure using the finger estimation. Tracheal leak, incidence and severity of post-extubation cough, stridor, sore throat and hoarseness were recorded. RESULTS: The cuff pressure as well as the volume of air to fill the cuff was significantly low in the sealing group when compared with the control group (P < 0.001); however, their values were significantly high in the finger group compared with both the control and the sealing group (P < 0.001). The incidence and severity of sore throat were significantly high in the finger group compared with both the control and the sealing group (P = 0.0009 and P = 0.0026). Three patients in the control group developed air leak around the endotracheal tube cuff. The incidence and severity of other complications were similar in the three groups. CONCLUSION: In pediatric N(2)O, free general anesthesia using Microcuff pediatric tracheal tub, sealing cuff pressure is safer than finger palpation technique regarding post-extubation morbidities and more reliable than recommended safe pressure in prevention of the air leak.