[Dysphagia] fluid in pilot balloon of cuff

[EDolinger at Christianacare.org (Dolinger, Eric)]

Agree that it probably is nothing to worry about.  Periodically you will see
stuff in the pilot baloon.
My guess is that it came from a dirty syringe.  Less likely (though
possible) is a damaged cuff and invasion of pulmonary secretions into the
line.

If there is minimal air in the balloon, it may not regain its shape when you
depress it.

All kinds of possibilities though likely a non-issue at this point

Eric Dolinger, MA CCC-SLP
Senior Speech Pathologist
Christiana Care Health System 
Phone 302-733-1015
Fax 302-733-1061
edolinger@christianacare.org


-----Original Message-----
From: dysphagia-bounces@b9.com [mailto:dysphagia-bounces@b9.com] On Behalf
Of h egnor
Sent: Tuesday, June 06, 2006 5:14 PM
To: dysphagia@b9.com
Subject: [Dysphagia] fluid in pilot balloon of cuff


I have a gentleman in homecare who had a recent downsize to a fenestrated,
cuffed trach. I do not have information about what kind of trach he had
before. He has laryngeal cancer and will have a total laryngectomy in one
week. Today, he showed me yellow-green opaque fluid sitting in the pilot
balloon of the cuff. He claims he does not know how it got there, but that
it has been there for about one week. He says no one injected any type of
fluid or aid in there that he remembers. He was also unable to tell me what
the pilot balloon was for ( no other history of memory problems noted). 
   
  To my understanding, a cuff and pilot balloon are a closed system, and the
only way in is through the port at the bottom with a syringe, unless there
is some kind of leak in the system. 
   
  I called the ENT, and the ENT told me not to worry about it, that the
patient would have a laryngectomy in a week. i asked what about a possible
tear in the cuff, damage to the trach tissue, infection - the doctor said
not to worry about it. 
   
  i GENTLY squeezed on the balloon to see if the fluid would displace and/or
the balloon would regain its shape. The fluid DID displace, but the balloon
did not regain its shape. No distress or sensation were noted by the
patient. 
   
  What possible innocuous explanation can there be for this?
   
  Heather 

		
---------------------------------
Do you Yahoo!?
 Get on board. You're invited to try the new Yahoo! Mail Beta.
_______________________________________________
Dysphagia mailing list
Dysphagia@b9.com
http://lists.b9.com/mailman/listinfo/dysphagia