A patient's endotracheal tube cuff pressure is measured at 35 mm Hg. The most appropriate im-mediate action to take is:
a. extubate the patient immediately.
b. do nothing; this pressure is acceptable.
c. add more volume to the cuff, and recheck pressure.
d. remove some volume from the cuff, and recheck pressure.
ANS: D
Because of tracheal mucosal blood pressure-flow characteristics, cuff pressure should be below 25 mm Hg to prevent tracheal ischemic damage. High cuff pressure is not an indication for extu-bation. Adding more volume would increase the cuff pressure even more, creating more of a blockage to blood and lymph circulation in the area surrounding the cuff.
You might also like to view...
Palpation and inspection of the point of maximal impulse can reveal certain conditions, such as:
A) pneumothorax. B) enlarged right ventricle. C) coronary insufficiency. D) cardiac tamponade.
TRICARE and CHAMPVA cover ____.
A. active military personnel B. veterans who served in active combat C. non-military government employees D. families of all military personnel E. disabled veterans