Alexis A. Topjian, MD, MSCE, Chair; Tia T. Raymond, MD, Vice-Chair; Dianne Atkins, MD; Melissa Chan, MD; Jonathan P. Duff, MD, Med; Benny L. Joyner Jr, MD, MPH; Javier J. Lasa, MD; Eric J. Lavonas, MD, MS; Arielle Levy, MD, Med; Melissa Mahgoub, PhD; Garth D. Meckler, MD, MSHS; Kathryn E. Roberts, MSN, RN; Robert M. Sutton, MD, MSCE; Stephen M. Schexnayder, MD; On behalf of the Pediatric Basic and Advanced Life Support Collaborators

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000916

Part 4: Pediatric Basic and Advanced Life Support: 2020 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care

https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/pdf/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000918

Part 1: Executive Summary: 2020 American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care

Conflict of interest

Conflict of interest statement: Authors state no conflict of interest

/pdf/cuffed-versus-uncuffed-endotracheal-tubes-in-pediatrics-a-1u9ktmcjaw.pdf

Cuffed versus uncuffed endotracheal tubes in pediatrics: a meta-analysis

Background: The use of cuffed vs uncuffed endotracheal tubes in pediatric anesthesia is widely debated. This study aimed to investigate whether the use of cuffed vs uncuffed tubes is associated with an increased incidence of acute postoperative respiratory complications. 
Methods: We retrospectively studied all children aged 0-7 years in which the trachea was intubated between September 28, 2006 and August 26, 2016 in a pediatric university hospital. Logistic regression analysis was performed to estimate the association between tube design (cuffed vs uncuffed) and the incidence of acute postoperative respiratory complications (stridor, wheezing, or dyspnea; desaturations ≤90%) in need of intervention (epinephrine, dexamethasone, nebulizers, supplementary oxygen, or reintubation), adjusting for potential confounders. 
Results: In 5247 of 6796 cases (77%), a cuffed tube was used. Acute postoperative respiratory complications in need of intervention occurred in 334 cases (4.9%) and were less common after cuffed than after uncuffed tubes (N = 236, 4.5% vs N = 98, 6.3%, respectively, odds ratio 0.70; 95%CI 0.55-0.89). Desaturation occurred less often after cuffed tubes (cuffed: N = 1365, 26.0%; uncuffed: N = 512, 33.1%; OR: 0.71 (0.61-0.84)). After adjusting for confounders, there was no difference in acute postoperative respiratory complications between cuffed tubes and uncuffed tubes (OR 0.74; 95%CI 0.55-1.01). Subgroup analyses in various age groups did not show significant differences between the use of cuffed or uncuffed tubes. 
Conclusion: After adjustment for multiple confounders, the use of cuffed tubes was not associated with an increased incidence of acute respiratory complications in postanesthesia care unit.

The incidence of postoperative respiratory complications: A retrospective analysis of cuffed vs uncuffed tracheal tubes in children 0-7 years of age.

Prolonged endotracheal intubation may lead to laryngeal damage, with stridor being the most relevant clinical symptom. Our objective was to determine the incidence of post-extubation stridor and their clinical consequences in children within a tertiary referral center and to identify contributing factors. 150 children, aged 0–16 years, intubated for more than 24 h were prospectively enrolled until discharge of the hospital. Potential relevant factors, thought to mediate the risk of laryngeal damage, were recorded and analyzed. The median duration of intubation was 4 days, ranging from 1 to 31 days. Stridor following extubation occurred in 28 patients (18.7%); 3 of them required reintubation due to respiratory distress and in 1 child stridor persisted for which a surgical intervention was necessary. In multivariate analyses, we found the following independent predictors of stridor: intubation on the scene, the use of cuffed tubes and lower age. Despite a high incidence for post-extubation stridor, only few children need reintubation or surgical intervention as a result of post-extubation lesions. Intubation on the scene, the use of cuffed tubes and young age are associated with a significant increased risk of post-extubation stridor. Awareness of these factors gives the possibility to anticipate on the situation and to minimize laryngeal injury and its possible future consequences.

/pdf/post-extubation-stridor-after-prolonged-intubation-in-the-1guz199550.pdf

Post-extubation stridor after prolonged intubation in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU): a prospective observational cohort study

Background
Since the introduction of endotracheal intubation in paediatrics, uncuffed endotracheal tubes (ETTs) have been the standard of care for children under eight years old, based on the presumption that complications, particularly postoperative stridor, are higher with cuffed ETTs. The major disadvantages of uncuffed ETTs cited for this shift in procedure include the difficulty in achieving tidal volumes due to leakage around an uncuffed ETT. To seal the airway adequately, uncuffed tubes may need to be exchanged for another tube with a larger diameter, which sometimes requires several attempts before the appropriate size is found. Uncuffed tubes also allow waste anaesthetic gases to escape, contributing significantly to operating room contamination and rendering the anaesthetic procedure more expensive. Our review summarizes the available data, to provide a current perspective on the use of cuffed versus uncuffed endotracheal tubes in children of eight years old or less.

Objectives
To assess the risks and benefits of cuffed versus uncuffed endotracheal tubes during general anaesthesia in children up to eight years old.

Search methods
We searched CENTRAL, MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, LILACS and Google Scholar databases from their inception until March 2017. We also searched databases of ongoing trials, and checked references and citations. We imposed no restriction by language.

Selection criteria
We included randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials in which the effects of using cuffed and uncuffed tubes were investigated in children up to eight years old undergoing general anaesthesia. We excluded studies conducted solely in newborn babies.

Data collection and analysis
We applied standard methodological procedures, as defined in the Methodological Expectations of Cochrane Intervention Reviews (MECIR).

Main results
We included three trials (2804 children), comparing cuffed with uncuffed ETTs. We rated the risks of bias in all three trials as high. Outcome data were limited. The largest trial was supported by Microcuff GmbH, who provided the cuffed tubes used. The other two trials were small, and should be interpreted with caution. Based on the GRADE approach, we rated the quality of evidence as low to very low.

Two trials comparing cuffed versus uncuffed ETTs found no difference between the groups for postextubation stridor (risk ratio (RR) 0.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.65 to 1.33; 2734 children; quality of evidence very low). However, those two trials demonstrated a statistically significantly lower rate of endotracheal tube exchange in the cuffed ETT group (RR 0.07, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.10; 2734 children; quality of evidence very low).

One trial with 70 participants found that costs per case were lower in the cuffed ETT group (mean difference (MD) EUR 19.0 lower; 95% CI 24.23 to 13.77 lower; quality of evidence low), since the higher cost of the cuffed tubes may be offset by the savings made with anaesthetic gases.

No clear evidence emerged to suggest any difference between cuffed and uncuffed tubes for outcomes such as the need to treat postextubation stridor with tracheal re-intubation (RR 1.85, 95% CI 0.17 to 19.76; 115 children; 2 trials; quality of evidence very low), epinephrine (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.38 to 1.28; 115 children; 2 trials; quality of evidence very low) or corticosteroid (RR 0.87, 95% CI 0.51 to 1.49; 102 children; 1 trial; quality of evidence very low), or need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission to treat postextubation stridor (RR 2.77, 95% CI 0.30 to 25.78; 102 children; 1 trial; quality of evidence very low).

None of the trials included in this review evaluated the ability to deliver appropriate tidal volume.

Authors' conclusions
Implications for practice

We are unable to draw definitive conclusions about the comparative effects of cuffed or non-cuffed endotracheal tubes in children undergoing general anaesthesia. Our confidence is limited by risks of bias, imprecision and indirectness. The lower requirement for exchange of tubes with cuffed ETTs was very low-quality evidence, and the requirement for less medical gas used and consequent lower cost was low-quality evidence. In some cases, tracheal re-intubation is required to guarantee an open airway when adequate oxygenation is difficult after removal of the tube, for a variety of reasons including stridor, muscle weakness or obstruction. No data were available to permit evaluation of whether appropriate tidal volumes were delivered.

Implications for research

Large randomized controlled trials of high methodological quality should be conducted to help clarify the risks and benefits of cuffed ETTs for children. Such trials should investigate the capacity to deliver appropriate tidal volume. Future trials should also address cost effectiveness and respiratory complications. Such studies should correlate the age of the child with the duration of intubation, and with possible complications. Studies should also be conducted in newborn babies. Future research should be conducted to compare the effects of the different types or brands of cuffed tubes used worldwide. Finally, trials should be designed to perform more accurate assessments and to diagnose the complications encountered with cuffed compared to uncuffed ETTs.

Rebeca Gac Andrade

Papers

Cuffed versus uncuffed endotracheal tubes for general anaesthesia in children aged eight years and under