iTraXS smart breathing tube set for human trials

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Human trials are set to take place using iTraXS, the world’s first optical fibre sensor-equipped endotracheal tube designed to reduce risks associated with breathing through a mechanical ventilator.

The iTraXS endotracheal tube - Nottingham University

The iTraXS device has been developed in a collaboration involving Nottingham University, which has secured £1.1m in funding from the Medical Research Council to undertake the trials.

An option for patients who are unable to breathe naturally is the insertion of an endotracheal tube (ETT), which is placed in the trachea (windpipe) to maintain an open airway and allow the patient to breathe through a mechanical ventilator. The tube is placed into the airway and a cuff is inflated at the trachea to create a seal that allows air to be delivered to the lungs.

Incorrect cuff inflation pressure can cause two problems: if pressure is too low, it can risk fluid getting past the cuff and causing ventilator-associate pneumonia (VAP), but if the pressure is too high it can cause a pressure injury in the trachea. This can range from moderate to severe sore throats through to permanent scarring and narrowing of the windpipe.

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medical devices