ICU Vivas · Mechanical ventilation
The endotracheal tube and its cuff
A CICM equipment viva on the endotracheal tube. The candidate explains the high-volume low-pressure cuff and why it replaced the low-volume high-pressure cuff, the target cuff pressure and the consequences of getting it wrong, and a structured approach to the ventilating patient who suddenly develops a cuff leak.
On this page
Study tools
Target exams
CICMFFICMEDIC
Prompt
Explain the design of the modern endotracheal tube cuff, how you measure and set cuff pressure, and how you troubleshoot an acute cuff leak.
Stimulus
You are asked to explain the design of the cuff of a modern endotracheal tube, how you would measure and set the cuff pressure at the bedside, and how you would manage a ventilated patient who has suddenly developed an audible cuff leak with a falling expired tidal volume.
References2ShowHide
- [1]Bersten AD, Soni N (eds). Oh's Intensive Care Manual. 8th edition, Elsevier, 2018.
- [2]Marino PL. The ICU Book. 4th edition, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2014.