The Ministry of Health warns of tracheostomy tubes that may cause death

The Ministry of Health and Community Protection has warned against a medical method, the use of types of tracheostomy tubes, which are made of silicone, due to potential risks that may cause serious injuries or death to patients.

In a circular addressed to all health facilities, all health care practitioners, the ministry stated that the warning came due to warnings issued by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), about the potential risks of airway obstruction when using tracheostomy tubes based on electrical fluctuations, made of silicone (EMG). ».

 Endotracheal tubes are catheters that are inserted into the patient's trachea, with the aim of supporting and preserving the open airways, and ensuring the exchange of an adequate amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide.

In its circular, the ministry stated that serious injuries and deaths were reported when using the aforementioned devices due to airway obstruction and ventilation failure, and failure to use tubes correctly, which may cause a lack of oxygen, brain damage or death.

The ministry pointed out that the root cause and incidence of obstruction and ventilation failure using these devices is unknown, however information from medical device reports currently indicates that airway obstruction events reported are more frequent for silicone EEG tubes compared to other tubes.

The Ministry recommended health care practitioners to be aware of the potential risks of airway obstruction and ventilation failure using silicone endotracheal tubes, and to follow the usage instructions contained in the device label to reduce the chance of ventilation failure and obstruction of the patient’s airway, and to take immediate steps to re-establish a safe airway. Ventilation failure The silicone endotracheal tubes should not be reinserted.

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