British journal of anaesthesia
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Prospective randomized controlled multi-centre trial of cuffed or uncuffed endotracheal tubes in small children.
The use of cuffed tracheal tubes (TTs) in small children is still controversial. The aim of this study was to compare post-extubation morbidity and TT exchange rates when using cuffed vs uncuffed tubes in small children. ⋯ The use of cuffed TTs in small children provides a reliably sealed airway at cuff pressures of
-
Multicenter Study
Respiratory impedance during weaning from mechanical ventilation in a mixed population of critically ill patients.
Worsening of respiratory mechanics during a spontaneous breathing trial (SBT) has been traditionally associated with weaning failure, although this finding is based on studies with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients only. The aim of our study was to assess the course of respiratory impedance non-invasively measured by forced oscillation technique (FOT) during a successful and failed SBT in a mixed population. ⋯ Worsening of respiratory impedance measured by FOT is not a common finding during a failed SBT in a typically heterogeneous intensive care unit population of mechanically ventilated patients.