Mechanical Analysis of Endotracheal Tubes
Publisher:
The Ohio State UniversitySeries/Report no.:
The Ohio State University. Department of Biomedical Engineering Honors Theses; 2018Abstract:
An endotracheal tube (ETT) is a medical device that is crucial for the intubation
process in order to deliver anesthesia and/or oxygen to a patient during a medical
procedure. Device malfunctions, such as kinking, can lead to procedural complications,
physical injury to the patient, or even patient death. The anesthesiology department at
Nationwide Children’s Hospital has expressed concern regarding malfunction of a new
model of ETT the hospital has recently adopted. While the anesthesiologists believe the
performance of the cuff portion of the new ETT model, Halyard Microcuff Endotracheal
Tube (Halyard Health), is more effective than the cuff of the previously used model,
Shiley Hi-Lo Oral/Nasal Tracheal Tube Cuffed (formerly branded as Mallinckrodt;
Medtronic, Inc.), they are concerned about the Halyard model’s increased susceptibility
to kinking during a procedure. Therefore, this project aims to develop a repeatable
mechanical test that is able to determine when a devastating ETT kink is occurring. This
test will then be used to compare the mechanical properties of both the Halyard and the
Shiley model ETTs under common conditions experienced in the clinic. These clinical
conditions include a room (25C) and body temperature (36C), as well as oxygen airflow
through the ETTs during mechanical testing. This pilot study has developed a repeatable
mechanical testing procedure in order to determine the compression force and distance
required to kink an ETT under different conditions. Results of this study showed that the
force required to induce the devastating kink failure was determined to be lower for the
heated testing conditions. Additionally the addition of airflow through the ETTs during
compression testing confirms the occurrence of airway obstruction at approximately the
same time a mechanical kink is observed on the force vs. distance curves. Further testing must be performed to determine statistically significant differences between ETT models
and conditions. It is anticipated that the further results of this study will provide insight
into which model of ETT anesthesiologists should choose to promote safer medical
procedures, as well as potentially influence the design of future ETTs by their
manufacturers.
Academic Major:
Academic Major: Biomedical Engineering
Sponsors:
Nationwide Children's Hospital
Embargo:
No embargo
Type:
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