Uses
Advantages
Disadvantages
Cuffed
- Patients receiving positive pressure ventilation
- Patients who are at high risk of aspiration
- Creates a seal to allow delivery of positive pressure ventilation
- Protects the lungs from gastric and upper airway secretions
- Can still allow for vocalisation through deflation of the cuff
- Little or no voicing occurs when the cuff is inflated
- Risk of mucosal injury and stenosis at the site of the cuff
Uncuffed
- Patients who can protect their own airway, have an adequate cough reflex and can manage their secretions
- Frequently used for patients being cared for in the community
- Removes the risk of tracheal damage caused by inflation of the cuff
- May aid swallowing
- May aid communication with the concomitant use of a speaking valve
- Unable to prevent aspiration of secretions
- Cannot be used for the delivery of positive-pressure ventilation