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 5
Diagram of model run in simultaneous microaspiration and microbial proliferation modes. ETT cuff inflation pressure was 30 cm H2O. Quantitative culture results using a standard ETT with MRSA (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) and PA (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) inocula introduced above the cuff indicate that the lung chamber became positive shortly after microaspiration occurred. Dye experiments run with the gendine standard ETT and soft tapered cuff with subglottic suctioning ETT showed that microaspiration in the model occurred within 24 hours at 30 cm H2O cuff inflation pressures.
