Research Article

Insights on the Role of Antimicrobial Cuffed Endotracheal Tubes in Preventing Transtracheal Transmission of VAP Pathogens from an In Vitro Model of Microaspiration and Microbial Proliferation

Figure 3

Diagram of the model run in microbial proliferation only mode and quantitative culture showing time required for the lung chamber to become contaminated in this mode. In microbial proliferation only mode microaspiration is precluded by overinflating the cuff to 100 cm H2O. Dye experiments verified that no leakage occurred over 144 hours at this inflation pressure. Quantitative culture results show times required to contaminate the “lung” chamber using a standard ETT with MRSA (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and PA (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) inocula introduced above the cuff.
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