Cuffed or uncuffed tubes during anaesthesia in infants and small children.

摘要

The large randomized controlled trial of cuffed or non-cuffed tracheal tubes in small children demonstrated that experienced practitioners using exemplary (as opposed to standard) technique had a similar incidence of post-extubation stridor with either tube, and fewer repeat intubations with the cuffed tubes. In the accompanying editorial, it is proposed that pae-diatric anaesthetists should come into line with our adult colleagues and monitor cuff pressure routinely, or drop their opposition to cuffed tubes on the grounds of clinical unsuitability. There are two issues with this proposal, first, that cuff pressure monitoring can be assumed to be an intervention with no issues affecting current paediatric anaesthetic practice, and secondly, the assumption that it is widespread practice in adult anaesthesia at present.