Cuffed verses Uncuffed Endotracheal Tubes for Pediatric Patients

Abstract

<p>Pediatric airway management can present many challenges for anesthetists. One such challenge is whether to use a cuffed or uncuffed endotracheal tube (ETT) for pediatric patients younger than eight years. Practitioners have used uncuffed ETTs for smaller children due to the risk of cuffed ETTs causing airway mucosal injury which may lead to subglottic stenosis and stridor.<span style="font-size: xx-small;">1</span> In recent years, cuffed ETTs have been used more frequently in order to reduce tube exchanges, ventilation leak around the tube, unreliable end-tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO2) monitoring, and the risk of aspiration. The purpose of this evidence based practice analysis is to compare the incidence of common airway complications in pediatric patients intubated with a cuffed or uncuffed ETT. </p>