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 2

Diagram of the model run in microaspiration only mode where these is a gap between the distal tip of the ETT and fluid in the lung chamber. A verification experiment with quantitative culture was run showing that microbial proliferation is precluded in this mode. In the verification experiment, a standard ETT was used and the cuff was inflated to 100 cm water to preclude microaspiration. The gap between the distal tip of the ETT and the initially sterile fluid in the lung chamber broke the continuous surface pathway required for MRSA (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus)and PA (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) to proliferate along the ETT to the lung chamber; hence, it remained sterile for 144 hours.