The goal of this project is to devise a better endotracheal tube for patients requiring ventilatory support through intubation. The project will analyze the current tracheal tubes in use, both in the design and material, to figure out why they are causing severe morbidity, complications, and occasionally death directly attributable to the endotracheal intubation. This information will be used to design a new tracheal tube using a design suggested by Dr. Everard Cox, formerly Chief of Surgery at the Maryland Institute of Emergency Medicine Services Systems, and similar, or improved materials. This project will cover the following research areas:
1) materials design and selection: design new biocompatible elastomers with precisely, 2) controlled elastic modulus or tailor the chemisty of existing materials for this particular application, e.g. control over crosslink density (this is main parameter controlling the modulus),
3) geometric design : e.g. mechanical analysis of the tubes such as continuum mechanics (pressure vessel theory) and finite element simulations of the pressures and stresses in various parts of the tube as a function of geometry and material properties. 4) processing issues : molding, prototype fabrication, and in vitro testing. This project has the potential to help millions of patients who suffer from complications caused by the current tracheal tubes, including vocalists who have been gravely injured and lost the ability to sing because of emergency situations in which they had to have an endotracheal tube inserted.
