Cutting Balloon cuffs

confusionabounds · Oct 06, 2005, 04:26 PM

you risk not being able to deflate your balloon if you 'rip' or pull your cuff off instead of deflating. when you pull a cuff off, it stretches the plastic. this stretching of the plastic generates heat. due to the narrowness of the diameter, pulling the cuff off can generate enough heat to immediately seal the end of the cuff access. doesn't happen all the time, but it is a definite possibility.

*Marie_LPN, RN* · Oct 06, 2005, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by skipaway

I agree, never rip the balloon off, use a syringe. Sometimes the cuff doesn't deflate well and you're pulling a inflated cuff through the cords, possibly damaging them.

Although i said i was never posting in this forum again, i did have to respond to this thread. I gree with the above quote. We had an anesthesiologist who did this a lot, and only when someone's chords were danaged did he stop doing it.

BigDave · Oct 11, 2005, 07:48 PM

About 6 months ago the RT and I extubated in the ICU with the pulmonologist sitting outside the room writing on the chart. When he saw that I had deflated the cuff with the syringe, he said that in the future that he wanted the balloon left inflated--so as to draw out the secretions on top of the cuff.
We just looked at each other with that knowing "what an idiot" look!

lml33 · Dec 01, 2005, 08:35 AM

Think about it. What is the average time period between ripping the cuff and extubation?...Seconds. Will all of the air diffuse out of that small lumen between the cuff itself and the syringe connector to the smaller cuff that quickly in such a short period of time? Doubt it. Actively deflating the cuff will provide the least amount of tracheal damage. Why would anyone want to do something so half assed as to not deflate the cuff? I hope that extubator (anesthesia provider, nurse, doctor, etc.) is not taking care of my loved ones.
My motto is: "Do unto your patients as you would have done to you". Okay, enough nerdiness, gotta go.....lml33.

Pete495 · Dec 02, 2005, 03:26 PM

It's like the Headlights look isn't it? This isue is a no brainer. You should always deflate the balloon.

Originally Posted by BigDave

About 6 months ago the RT and I extubated in the ICU with the pulmonologist sitting outside the room writing on the chart. When he saw that I had deflated the cuff with the syringe, he said that in the future that he wanted the balloon left inflated--so as to draw out the secretions on top of the cuff.
We just looked at each other with that knowing "what an idiot" look!

BigDave · Dec 02, 2005, 03:35 PM

I saw the same thing with a foley once. This guy half ripped his catheter out. We could not deflate the balloon, so the wise resident decided to cut the end off--to no avail. Ended up calling the urologist in at 1AM. He held the package up and stuck a needle into the third nut to drain the balloon...freaked all of us out!

Kiwi · Dec 03, 2005, 07:38 AM

Originally Posted by BigDave

held the package up and stuck a needle into the third nut

:chuckle (!)

apaisRN · Dec 03, 2005, 05:01 PM

Originally Posted by BigDave

I saw the same thing with a foley once. This guy half ripped his catheter out. We could not deflate the balloon, so the wise resident decided to cut the end off--to no avail. Ended up calling the urologist in at 1AM. He held the package up and stuck a needle into the third nut to drain the balloon...freaked all of us out!

uh . . . WHAT exactly did the urologist do??!!

BigDave · Dec 03, 2005, 08:19 PM

The balloon stopped about half way from the bladder to the tip. It looked exactly like he had three testes. First he rammed a hard cath thru the remnants of the foley to possibly break the balloon (no luck). Then he just popped the balloon percutaneously with a needle going thru the scrotum.
Military docs...got to love em!

stklgs · Dec 03, 2005, 10:55 PM

I have seen the same thing.. A urologist will insert his finger into the patients rear-end in order to palpate the urine catheter balloon. When he feels it he will then insert a spinal needle into the taint area (he! He!) in order to pop the balloon. The patient did not apopreciate the proceedure, as you may have imagined.

Originally Posted by BigDave

I saw the same thing with a foley once. This guy half ripped his catheter out. We could not deflate the balloon, so the wise resident decided to cut the end off--to no avail. Ended up calling the urologist in at 1AM. He held the package up and stuck a needle into the third nut to drain the balloon...freaked all of us out!

Cutting Balloon cuffs

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