Abstract

There are different international recommendations on cuff pressure range for the management of adult patients with an artificial airway. Some Chilean medical centres have developed their own airway management protocols based on these recommendations, due to the lack of a national guide. A literature review was undertaken at the University of Southampton, U.K., to determine the appropriate cuff pressure range. Results found that this is between 20-30 cmH2O. Afterwards, a valid and reliable online questionnaire was developed in Spanish at the University of Southampton for application in Chile. This study aims to analyse the cuff pressure management of adult patients with an artificial airway performed by non-medical healthcare professionals in Chile. An analytical, observational, and cross-sectional study was carried out. A database with the responses of Nurses, Physiotherapists, and Speech Therapists with experience working with adult patients with an artificial airway in Chile was analysed. Results show that 58% of the participants used exclusively the objective technique, whilst 7% only used subjective techniques. The minimum and maximum pressures used were 25 and 34 cmH2O respectively, which were higher than the recommended range. 38% of the participants declared that there was an existing protocol at their workplace. There was a significant difference between the maximum pressures used by the clinicians and the pressures recommended on the protocols (p = .029). In conclusion, the participants showed poor management of cuff pressure, which could create risks linked with over-inflated or under-inflated cuffs. It is suggested to develop a national guide.