Innovations for safer airways.

An estimated 9 million patients undergo tracheal intubation in U.S. hospitals each year. 72% of patients have unsafe cuff pressures and 57% experience tracheal complications. Intubation lasting 48 hours or more increases the risk of tissue injury and aspiration.

Why complications occur

1. Cuffs are staticThe trachea expands and contracts. A fixed cuff must seal it at its widest, leaving sustained pressure on the tissue as the airway narrows.
2. Monitoring is manualClinicians check and adjust pressure every 2 to 4 hours, spending up to 2 hours a day on repeated bedside visits.

CuffWay is developing continuous cuff pressure monitoring and control. It adjusts pressure as the airway moves to maintain a seal without unnecessary force on the tracheal wall.

1. Pressure that adaptsThe system responds to breathing, coughing and movement, adjusting cuff pressure in real time to keep a seal as the airway changes.
2. Fits the bedside workflowA reusable controller connects through a disposable tube set. Setup takes less than 30 seconds, with continuous monitoring instead of manual checks.