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The Influence of Endotracheal Tube Design on Fluid Leakage Into the Lungs During Surgery

The Influence of Endotracheal Tube Cuff Design on Intraoperative Microaspiration and Postoperative Respiratory Complications

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT01539135
Enrollment
80
Registered
2012-02-27
Start date
2012-04-30
Completion date
2013-05-31
Last updated
2015-08-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Respiratory Aspiration

Keywords

Aspiration, Respiratory

Brief summary

Surgical patients have an endotracheal tube inserted into their windpipe to help them breathe while under general anesthesia. These tubes have a cuff on the outside that is inflated in the trachea to help prevent fluids from leaking into the lungs. These cuffs come in different shapes and sizes. The TaperGuard endotracheal tube has a taper-shaped cuff that has been shown in animals to decrease the leakage of fluid past the cuff better than a traditional tube that has a barrel-shaped cuff. This study is designed to examine whether the use of the TaperGuard tube during surgery on humans decreases the amount of leakage past the cuff to a greater degree than the traditional barrel-shaped cuff. In addition, the study will investigate whether the use of the TaperGuard tube is associated with a decrease in respiratory complications often seen following surgery which may be related to fluid leaking past the cuff and into the lungs. It is thought that the use of the TaperGuard endotracheal tube will result in a decrease in fluid leakage past the cuff and that it will be associated with a decrease in respiratory complications during the 30 days after surgery.

Detailed description

This study is designed to yield data on the intraoperative use of TaperGuard™endotracheal tubes and its potential influence on postoperative pulmonary complications and outcomes. The TaperGuard Basic tube has a taper-shaped cuff and has been shown, via bench and animal testing, to decrease microaspiration, which has been associated with respiratory difficulties. The intraoperative use of this tube (i.e. during short term intubation), and its impact on postoperative complications and outcomes has not been investigated. This study will determine whether the intraoperative use of the TaperGuard tube results in a decrease in microaspiration compared to the Hi-Lo endotracheal tube having a barrel-shaped cuff. Moreover, the relationship between a decrease in microaspiration and subsequent decrease in postoperative respiratory complications will be explored.

Interventions

DRUGMethylene Blue

20 cc methylene blue instilled above the cuff once after intubation for the duration of the surgical procedure

Sponsors

Medtronic - MITG
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
TRIPLE (Subject, Caregiver, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Male or Female of all races * Older than 18 years old * Scheduled for an elective surgical procedure under general anesthesia for no less than 2hr and no more than 12hr with planned endotracheal intubation via the oral route * Willing and able to give informed consent for participation in the study * Anticipated extubation at the conclusion of general anesthesia in the operating room and prior to admission to the PACU * Expected hospital stay of greater than or equal to 23hrs

Exclusion criteria

* Preexisting acute respiratory illness requiring antibiotic treatment within the two weeks prior to surgery * Temperature of over 101 degrees F (38.3 C) at time of scheduled surgery * Surgical requirement for naso-tracheal intubation * Patients undergoing surgical procedures directly on the lungs, trachea, or airways * Presence of tracheostomy * History of allergic reaction to methylene blue * Methemoglobinemia, glucose-6-phosphate (G6PD) deficiency * Renal insufficiency or failure * Requirement for prolonged intubation and/or ventilation beyond the point of PACU admission * Intraoperative use of nitrous oxide, to avoid the increase in cuff pressure due to diffusion of gas over time * Psychiatric drugs of the following classifications: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs), and monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). * Patients younger than 18 years of age * Prone positioning during surgery * Pregnant or lactating women based on standardized preoperative screening protocols * Legally detained prisoner status * Unwilling or unable to give informed consent for participation in the study

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Number of Participants With Dye LeakageDuration of surgical procedure - from 2 to 12 hoursBlue dye will be instilled above the endotracheal tube cuff immediately after intubation where it will remain for the duration of the surgery. The presence of dye leakage past the endotracheal tube cuff will be determined via analysis of bronchoscopic images taken at the end of the surgical procedure when surgical closure has begun.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Length of Hospital StayTime from discharge from PACU to discharge from hospital up to 72 hoursTime of readiness for discharge from PACU, defined as when an Aldrete score of greater than or equal to 8 is given, to the time at which discharge (from the hospital) orders are written. The inpatient period may extend up to 72 hours.
Number of Participants With Postoperative PneumoniaUp to 30 days after surgeryDiagnosis of postoperative pneumonia during the 30 day follow up period after surgery
Number of Participants With Unanticipated Intensive Care Unit AdmissionTime from discharge from PACU to discharge from hospital up to 72 hoursIncidence of unscheduled Intensive Care Unit admission after surgery and length of ICU stay if applicable.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Hi-Lo Endotracheal Tube
Hi-Lo endotracheal tube with barrel shaped cuff with 20 cc of methylene blue instilled above the cuff once post intubation for the duration of the surgical procedure Methylene Blue: 20 cc methylene blue instilled above the cuff once after intubation for the duration of the surgical procedure
43
TaperGuard Endotracheal Tube
TaperGuard endotracheal tube with taper shaped cuff with 20 cc methylene blue instilled above the cuff once post intubation for the duration of the surgical procedure Methylene Blue: 20 cc methylene blue instilled above the cuff once after intubation for the duration of the surgical procedure
37
Total80

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicTaperGuard Endotracheal TubeHi-Lo Endotracheal TubeTotal
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
4 Participants6 Participants10 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
33 Participants37 Participants70 Participants
Age, Continuous53.5 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 14.7
58.2 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 12.7
56 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 13.8
Region of Enrollment
United States
37 participants43 participants80 participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
9 Participants16 Participants25 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
28 Participants27 Participants55 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
— / —— / —
other
Total, other adverse events
0 / 430 / 37
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 430 / 37

Outcome results

Primary

Number of Participants With Dye Leakage

Blue dye will be instilled above the endotracheal tube cuff immediately after intubation where it will remain for the duration of the surgery. The presence of dye leakage past the endotracheal tube cuff will be determined via analysis of bronchoscopic images taken at the end of the surgical procedure when surgical closure has begun.

Time frame: Duration of surgical procedure - from 2 to 12 hours

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Hi-Lo Endotracheal TubeNumber of Participants With Dye Leakage3 participants
TaperGuard Endotracheal TubeNumber of Participants With Dye Leakage2 participants
Secondary

Length of Hospital Stay

Time of readiness for discharge from PACU, defined as when an Aldrete score of greater than or equal to 8 is given, to the time at which discharge (from the hospital) orders are written. The inpatient period may extend up to 72 hours.

Time frame: Time from discharge from PACU to discharge from hospital up to 72 hours

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Hi-Lo Endotracheal TubeLength of Hospital Stay42.4 hoursStandard Deviation 19.6
TaperGuard Endotracheal TubeLength of Hospital Stay34.9 hoursStandard Deviation 16.7
Secondary

Number of Participants With Postoperative Pneumonia

Diagnosis of postoperative pneumonia during the 30 day follow up period after surgery

Time frame: Up to 30 days after surgery

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Hi-Lo Endotracheal TubeNumber of Participants With Postoperative Pneumonia1 participants
TaperGuard Endotracheal TubeNumber of Participants With Postoperative Pneumonia0 participants
Secondary

Number of Participants With Unanticipated Intensive Care Unit Admission

Incidence of unscheduled Intensive Care Unit admission after surgery and length of ICU stay if applicable.

Time frame: Time from discharge from PACU to discharge from hospital up to 72 hours

ArmMeasureValue (NUMBER)
Hi-Lo Endotracheal TubeNumber of Participants With Unanticipated Intensive Care Unit Admission3 participants
TaperGuard Endotracheal TubeNumber of Participants With Unanticipated Intensive Care Unit Admission3 participants

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026