Development of an Endotracheal Tube Cap for Oxygen Delivery During Intubation

Abstract

Endotracheal (ET) Intubation is a medical procedure whereupon a physician or trained personnel inserts a breathing tube into a patient's mouth, through their vocal cords, and into their trachea. Intubation can be lifesaving when a patient cannot breathe on their own. Intubations are performed routinely, with approximately 15 × 106 performed annually just in the operating room (OR) with an additional 650,000 intubations in the wider hospital environment. Intubation is a complex, dynamic, and at times difficult procedure with major consequences if delayed and/or if the procedure fails. Complications for intubations outside of the operating room are reported as high as 27%, with the most common being hypoxia, or low oxygen levels. We have developed a simple, sterile attachment that directs oxygen down endotracheal tubes during intubation. Benchtop studies have demonstrated acceptable pressures well below those leading to barotrauma. In animal studies, the device has been shown to significantly reduce hypoxia; thereby increasing the time a medical provider has to safely perform the procedure. While further development is warranted, as well as additional testing both in vitro and in vivo, the cap assembly appears to provide a viable solution to a persistent and dangerous problem in medicine.