Comparison of Microaspiration Around Taperguard Tube Cuffs and Standard Tracheal Tubes in Obese Patients Subjected to Surgery Under General Anesthesia

Tracheal secretion leakage might lead to ventilator-associated pneumonia. Standard tracheal tube cuffs are cylindrical in shape. Bronchial tree aspiration is observed in the presence of leakage past tracheal tube cuffs. The new TaperGuard tracheal tube has a cuff in the shape of a cone, preventing from the development of microtubules and microaspiration. The aim of the study was to compare standard tracheal tube cuffs with TaperGuard tubes, in terms of protection from microaspiration under general anesthesia. Material and methods. The observational study evaluated incidents of leakage during general anesthesia with intubation and mechanical ventilation in patients with significant obesity. The study group comprised 20 patients with the BMI >40 kg/m2 subjected to elective surgery under general anesthesia with intubation and mechanical ventilation, randomly divided into two subgroups: standard tracheal tube and TaperGuard tube. Results. In 4 of 10 patients with standard tracheal tubes we observed leakage around the cuff. In case of TaperGuard tubes no such leakage was observed. Conclusion. TaperGuard tubes protect against microaspirations, while standard tracheal tubes have no such properties.