College Answer
- Clear non-toxic plastic
- Single use
- Radio-opaque line so visible on CXR
- High volume low pressure cuff with pilot tube
- Murphy’s eye
- Bevelled tip to assist insertion
- Centimetre markings to assess depth of insertion
- Black line to guide insertion to appropriate depth
- Standard 15mm connector
- Size labelling on pilot balloon
Discussion
The college answer represents the bare minimum. More detailed discussions of the ETT are also available:
In summary, the safety featues are::
- Single use item, no risk of cross-infection
- Standardised 15mm connector to fit all airway devices
- Low-allergen PVC construction, free of latex
- Transparent body,to see blood or vomit
- Markings to indicate depth of insertion
- Black line to guide insertion to appropriate depth
- High volume low pressure cuff to seal the trachea
- Size labelling on pilot balloon
- Pilot cuff to gauge cuff pressure
- Rounded atraumatic edges
- Murphy's eye to protect against occlusion
- Bevelled tip to assist insertion
- Radio-opaque line to help gauge position on chest X-rays