Change in endotracheal tube cuff pressure during nitrous oxide anaesthesia: A comparison between air and distilled water cuff inflation

In this prospective, randomized controlled trial, changes in endotracheal tube cuff pressure were studied in 60 patients undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia with nitrous oxide and oxygen. The cliffs were inflated with either air or distilled water. The mean pressure in the air-filled cuffs increased steadily throughout the procedure, reaching 47.5 +/-7.3 cmH(2)O at one hour compared with 31.6 +/-2.4 cmH(2)O mean pressure in the water-filled cliffs. The pressure and the rate of rise in cuff pressure were significantly lower (P <0.05) in the water filled cliffs throughout the hour of study. When an endotracheal tube cuff is distended with water, the rise in cliff pressure during nitrous oxide anaesthesia is lower than that of an air-filled cliff.