Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 17, 2026

The Rigid Tube as an Alternative in Controlling the Problematic Airway
Published on: June 6, 2020
[Evaluation of aspiration protective-covered tracheal cannulas]
U Winklmaier1, K Wüst, F Wallner
1Hals-Nasen-Ohrenklinik, Universität Heidelberg. ursula.winklmaier@med.uni-heidelberg.de
Background:
The aim of the study was to evaluate leakage of liquids in terms of water and artificially produced saliva past low-pressure cuffs of tracheal tubes.
Methods:
Three different types of tracheal tubes, TRACOE vario, Rüsch Ultra-Tracheoflex, and Portex Blue Line Ultra, were tested in isolated pig tracheas by infusing 6 ml of water or artificially produced saliva over the cuff and measuring the volume of fluid leaking past the cuff after 5, 10, and 15 min.
Results:
The leakage in the saliva experiments was significantly lower than in the water experiments (p < 0.05). The amount of leakage between the three different types of tubes showed statistically significant (p < 0.05) results. There was no statistically significant difference between tracheal tubes of 7 and 8 mm internal diameter.
Conclusion:
The present laboratory findings suggest that the three tracheal tubes studied will not guard against aspiration of water but they will prevent the leakage of artificial saliva to a great extent.
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