A Tapered Cuff Tracheal Tube Decreases the Need for Cuff Pressure Adjustment After Surgical Retraction During Anterior Cervical Spine Surgery: A Randomized Controlled, Double-Blind Trial.

Background: Surgical retraction to expose the vertebrae during anterior cervical spine surgery increases tracheal tube cuff pressure and may worsen postoperative sore throat and dysphonia. This randomized double-blind study investigated the effect of cuff shape on intraoperative cuff pressure and postoperative sore throat and dysphonia.

Methods: Eighty patients were randomized to tracheal intubation with a tapered cuff or a conventional cylindrical high-volume low-pressure cuff (control) during anesthesia. Intraoperative cuff pressures were compared. The primary outcome was the incidence of pressure adjustment needed when the cuff pressure increased to > 25 mm Hg after surgical retraction. The secondary outcome was the incidence of postoperative sore throat and dysphonia.

Results: The incidence of pressure adjustment after surgical retraction was significantly lower in the tapered group than in the control group (13% vs. 48%; = 0.001; relative risk reduction, 74%). The median [interquartile range (IQR)] cuff pressure (mm Hg) was significantly lower for the tapered cuff than for the control cuff before surgical retraction [9 (7-12) vs. 12 (10-15); < 0.001] and after retraction [18 (15-23) vs. 25 (18-31); = 0.007]. The median (IQR) postoperative dysphonia score assessed by a single speech-language pathologist was lower in the tapered group than in the control group [4 (3-6) vs. 5.5 (5-7); = 0.008].

Conclusion: A tapered cuff tracheal tube decreased the need for the adjustment of cuff pressure after surgical retraction during anterior cervical spine surgery, thereby avoiding intraoperative pressure increase. It also has a better outcome in terms of dysphonia.

Clinical Trial Registration: [www.clinicaltrials.gov], identifier [NCT04591769].