Researches develop system to improve intubations procedures of Covid-19 patients

Researchers from the Federal University of São Carlos (Universidade Federal de São Carlos – USFCar), have created a system to improve the intubation procedure of patients with Covid-19.

In a typical intubation procedure, a tube is connected to a respirator and inserted into the patients trachea. Then, a balloon cuff that surrounds the tube is inflated in order to seal the trachea and allow for adequate ventilation. The seal is also essential to prevent fluids from entering the respiratory tract. To make sure the procedure is done correctly and doesn’t cause damage, it is necessary to inflate the balloon cuff with the correct air pressure. ”If the seal is not adequate, secretions from the upper airways or digestive tract can go through to the patient’s lower respiratory tract, potentially causing pneumonia ou even contaminate healthcare professional for example, with the coronavirus. On the other hand, if the balloon if over inflated – with excess air pressuring the trachea – it can significantly lower blood perfusion, leading to lesions (…)”, explained Fernando Aguiar, one of the developers of the new system.

The air pressure inside the balloon cuff is usually measured through analogical measuring devices. However, researcher and medical doctor Rafael Luis Luporini realized that Brazil did not have enough stock of these devices to tackle the urgent need brought by Covid-19 pandemic. So, Dr. Luporini gathered fellow researchers and experts at USFCar and proposed that they built a national device.

In under 30 days, the team developed a Smart Cuffometer, a groundbreaking digital device that is able to maintain proper seal of tracheal intubation systems. The device has an automatic calibration system, a memory card for collecting data and is equipped with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and 4G, allowing for real-time monitoring of intubated patients and for physicians to remotely access the patients data.

Adapted from: https://www.gov.br/mec/pt-br/assuntos/noticias/ufscar-desenvolve-sistema...