Inspiratory stridor after tracheal intubation with a MicroCuff® tracheal tube in three young infants.

748 March 2013 U ncuffed tracheal tubes (TTs) have been the standard for tracheal intubation in infants and children for decades until the recent introduction of the Microcuff (Kimberley-clark, Roswell, GA) cuffed TT. evidence suggests that the incidence of perioperative airway events after use of these new TTs is small,1,2 although the evidence for their safe use in neonates and young infants is scant. We identified three infants, two of whom were born premature and one who was syndromic, who developed postextubation stridor after the use of Microcuff® TTs. Because postextubation stridor after surgery has been infrequent in infants in our neonatal intensive care unit (nIcu), we believe that this cluster of three infants with postextubation stridor may signify an underrecognized risk when these TTs are used in young infants. Accordingly, we prepared this communication, summarizing the perioperative course of the three affected infants.