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Published on: December 4, 2007
Prevention of CO2 laser-induced endotracheal tube fires with the laser-guard protective coating
1Department of Anesthesiology, Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center, Chicago, IL 60612.
Study Objective:
To determine how well Laser-Guard protects polyvinyl chloride (PVC) endotracheal tubes from the carbon dioxide (CO2) laser.
Design:
Bare and Laser-Guard-protected PVC endotracheal tubes were tested with 5 L/min of oxygen (O2) passing through them.
Setting:
Research laboratory of a university-affiliated metropolitan medical center.
Interventions:
After moistening the Laser-Guard-protected endotracheal tubes, we subjected the tubes to CO2 laser radiation at 10 and 70 watts until combustion occurred or 60 seconds had elapsed.
Measurements And Main Results:
The bare PVC tube ignited and a "blowtorch" fire occurred after 3 seconds of CO2 laser use at 70 watts. The moistened Laser-Guard-protected PVC endotracheal tubes were not significantly damaged by 1 minute of laser use at 70 watts.
Conclusions:
Laser-Guard protects the shafts of combustible PVC endotracheal tubes from direct, high-power, continuous CO2 laser radiation.
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