Incidence of endotracheal tube colonization with the use of PneuX endotracheal tubes in patients following cardiac surgery.

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) develops in up to 25% of patients following cardiac surgery. Colonization of the endotracheal tube (ETT) contributes to VAP. The PneuX ETT has been shown to halve VAP in high-risk patients undergoing cardiac surgery. This article reports on the secondary analysis of bacterial colonization in relation to VAP between the PneuX and standard ETTs

Microbial composition and antibiotic resistance of biofilms recovered from endotracheal tubes of mechanically ventilated patients

In critically ill patients, breathing is impaired and mechanical ventilation, using an endotracheal tube (ET) connected to a ventilator, is necessary. Although mechanical ventilation is a life-saving procedure, it is not without risk. Because of several reasons, a biofilm often forms at the distal end of the ET and this biofilm is a persistent source of bacteria which can infect the lungs, causing ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). There is a link between the microbial flora of ET biofilms and the microorganisms involved in the onset of VAP. Culture dependent and independent techniques were already used to identify the microbial flora of ET biofilms and also, the antibiotic resistance of microorganisms obtained from ET biofilms was determined. The ESKAPE pathogens play a dominant role in the onset of VAP and these organisms were frequently identified in ET biofilms. Also, antibiotic resistant microorganisms were frequently present in ET biofilms. Members of the normal oral flora were also identified in ET biofilms but it is thought that these organisms initiate ET biofilm formation and are not directly involved in the development of VAP