A COMPARISON OF CO2-LASER IGNITION OF THE XOMED, PLASTIC, AND RUBBER ENDOTRACHEAL-TUBES

The combustibility of Xomed LaserShield(TM) endotracheal tubes was com pared to that of polyvinylchloride (PVC) and rubber endotracheal tubes at 15, 17, and 20 watts (W) of power from a CO2 laser. Oxygen, 5.0 L/ min, flowed through the tubes during the investigation. The laser was aimed perpendicularly at the shaft of the endotracheal tube under stud y and actuated until an intraluminal fire occurred. The times to blow torch combustion of the PVC tubes were 1.7,1.8, and 1.5 s at 15, 17, a nd 20 W, respectively. For the Xomed tube, the times to combustion wer e 85.9, 42.5, and 20.3 s at 15,17, and 20 W, respectively. Intralumina l (blow torch) fires of the rubber endotracheal tubes occurred after 2 4.5, 25.4, and 21.9 s at 15, 17, and 20 W The times to combustion of t he PVC and Xomed tubes were significantly different at 15 and 17 W The times to intraluminal combustion of the rubber tubes were significant ly different from those of the Xomed tubes only at 15 W We conclude th at the Xomed tube does not offer consistently better resistance to las er-induced combustion than the PVC or rubber endotracheal tubes tested .