ABSTRACT
This study aimed to compare the accuracy of the endotracheal tube (ETT) cuff pressure of the manual palpation (MP), passive release (PR), and minimum occlusive volume (MOV) techniques.
This study is a true experiment with simple randomisation. The subjects of this study were 105 patients divided into 3 groups: MP group (n=35), PR group (n=35), and MOV group (n=35). After intubation, ETT cuff inflation was performed using 3 different techniques. The ETT cuff pressure was recorded using a manometer. The data were analysed using the chi-square test, Kruskal-Wallis test, and Mann-Whitney test in the SPSS 20 software.
The mean ETT cuff pressure was 60.2±28.8 cmH2O in the MP group, 30.4±5.5 cmH2O in the PR group, and 25.8±9.6 cmH2O in the MOV group (p=0.000). The PR group had the highest pressure accuracy (77%) (p=0.000).
The PR technique had the highest accuracy and can be used as an alternative ETT cuff inflation technique in the absence of a manometer.
Keywords: Airway management, endotracheal tube cuff pressure, ETT cuff pressure, general anaesthesia, manual palpation, minimum occlusive volume technique, passive release technique