EVALUATION OF FOIL COVERINGS FOR PROTECTING PLASTIC ENDOTRACHEAL-TUBES FROM THE POTASSIUM-TITANYL-PHOSPHATE LASER

The potassium-titanyl-phosphate laser is being used for airway surgery and could cause an endotracheal tube fire. To determine whether five different metallic foil tapes or the Laser-Guard protective wrap would protect polyvinylchloride (PVC) endotracheal tubes from this laser, i t was set to a power of 18 W and aimed at the wrapped endotracheal tub e under study for up to 1 min while 5 L/min of oxygen flowed through t he endotracheal tube. A plain (unwrapped) PVC endotracheal tube was st udied also. The plain PVC endotracheal tube was ignited by the laser a fter 14 s. Potassium-titanyl-phosphate laser radiation did not signifi cantly affect the nonadhesive sides of the foil tapes tested or the La ser-Guard covering. However, potassium-titanyl-phosphate laser radiati on caused ignition or melting of underlying PVC endotracheal tubes whe n it was applied to the endotracheal tubes with the adhesive side of t he foil tapes facing outward. It is concluded that only the Laser-Guar d protective coating adequately protected the PVC endotracheal tubes t ested under the conditions of this experiment.