Comparison of the Predictions of Endotracheal Tube Cuff Pressure With Pilot Balloon Palpation and the Value Measured by Manometer Among Anaesthesia Residents in Different Education Years in the Department of Anesthesiology and Reanimation

After the patients were premedicated with an appropriate dose of midazolam, anesthesia was induced with propofol, fentanyl and rocuronium. Endotracheal intubation was performed after ensuring appropriate anaesthesia depth for intubation, by relaxation of the jaw and loss of eyelash reflex. We used 7.5 and 8.0 sizes of sterile ETTs are made of polyvinyl chloride and have a high-volume low-pressure cuffed design that conforms to the shape of the trachea. ETTs for female and male patients and before intubation Tracheal tubes (Tyco Healthcare©, Wollerau Switzerland) cuffs were tested for leakage. The researchers were divided into two groups of 20, with anaesthesia residents (anesthesia experience between 1 months and 1 year, Group J) and those with more than 4 years (Group S). The ETT was placed using the conventional intubation technique with a Macintosh laryngoscope after ensuring appropriate anaesthesia depth for intubation, by relaxation of the jaw and loss of eyelash reflex.. It was asked to swell with air up to cmH2O and a 10 ml injector was used for this. Then Direct pressure measurement was achieved by a cuff manometer calibrated in cmH2O, which was attached to the ETT pilot balloon. The participant was not informed about the actual pressure of cuff. Then the air in the cuff was completely evacuated and the same procedure was repeated with the participant from the other group, the agreement of the two groups to the target value of 25 cmH2O was compared. The order of priority among the groups was randomized according to the closed-envelope method. Controlled positive pressure ventilation was started after the measurement.

In cases in which the cuff pressure was above 30 cmH2O or below 20 cmH2O, the pressure was regulated back to normal limits. During the study, patients were in a supine, head and neck neutral position. Anesthesia was maintained as in our routine clinical practice.