BACKGROUND Past research has suggested that medical diagnosis and trach cuff conditions may contribute to swallow physiology changes in patients with tracheostomy. This study attempts to investigate the differences in swallow physiology between patients with trach cuff-inflated and trach cuff-deflated conditions with respect to four medical diagnostic categories: neuromuscular disorder, head an...

In the present study, we investigated the technique and reliability of measuring digital blood pressure by means of a rigid, airtight container (a bladder-free cuff) and a photocell placed on the digit. As cuff pressure increased, the position of digits in the cuff was maintained in the hand by fixing one or two fingers inside the cuff and, in the foot, by using a supporting stick to keep the d...

This paper describes a method that uses two cuffs to improve accuracy of blood pressure and hemodynamics estimation. A specially designed dual-cuff experimental system was used to acquire and process data from the two cuffs. The arm cuff provided cuff pressures and cuff arterial pulse waveforms. The arm cuff pulse pressure waveforms were used to compute mean arterial pressure (MAP), systolic pr...

To avoid inaccurate blood pressure (BP) readings, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends cuff width (CW) encircling 40% of the arm circumference (AC) and cuff length at least 80-100%. This study aimed to identify inpatients AC, the corresponding cuff size and the cuff size availability. In total, 81 AC were measured in the right arm. The cuff sizes to fit them were calculated according...

BACKGROUND Cuff pressure (P cuff) control is mandatory to avoid leakage of oral secretions passing the tracheal tube and tracheal ischemia. The aim of the present trial was to determine the efficacy of a mechanical device (PressureEasy®) in the continuous control of P cuff in patients intubated with polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-cuffed tracheal tubes, compared with routine care using a manometer. ...

BACKGROUND Maintaining the cuff pressure of endotracheal tubes (ETTs) within 20-30 cmH2O is a standard practice. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of standard practice in maintaining cuff pressure within the target range. METHODS This was a prospective observational study conducted in a tertiary-care intensive care unit, in which respiratory therapists (RTs) measured the ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Injuries of tracheal mucosa in contact with tracheal tube cuff is a function of cuff pressure and exposure time. This study aimed at analyzing injuries of tracheal mucosa in contact with tracheal tube cuff inflated to reach "seal" pressure or limit 25 cmH2O pressure, below critical 30 cmH2O, to prevent tracheal damage. METHODS This study involved 16 dogs submitted to...

INTRODUCTION The Shiley™ Flexible adult tracheostomy tube with TaperGuard™ cuff has been designed through its geometry, materials, diameter, and wall thickness to minimize micro-aspiration of fluids past the cuff and to provide an effective air seal in the trachea while also minimizing the risk of excessive contact pressure on the tracheal mucosa. The cuff also has a deflated profile that may a...

The most common complication due to intubation is a high cuff pressure. A high cuff pressure can cause postanesthetic tracheal mucosal injuries in patients undergoing surgery. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to describe whether anesthetic nurses and anesthesiologists identified a very high cuff pressure by manual palpation of the external cuff balloon on an endotracheal tube. An airwa...

Recent studies have reported that massive rotator cuff tears do not heal as predictably as, and may have diminished clinical outcomes compared with, smaller rotator cuff tears. An improved understanding of the biologic degeneration and the biomechanical alterations of massive rotator cuff tears should provide better strategies to optimize outcomes. The approach to patients with massive rotator ...