June 05th, 2025
Researchers from the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) have devised a way to lower the health risks of using endotracheal intubation for lifesaving breathing procedures.
Endotracheal intubation has been a lifesaving albeit invasive airway opening procedure often performed on unconscious patients or those who can't breathe spontaneously amid surgery or emergencies.
The procedure involves placing a flexible tube in the windpipe through a patient’s mouth or nose and can pose a dire risk to patients who have adverse reactions to irritants, allergens, and bacterial infections.
It is estimated that 8-28% of mechanically ventilated patients develop ventilator associated pneumonia, with some cases fatal.
An ARS scientist and her team at the U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center (ALARC) in Maricopa, AZ, addressed this challenge to help people safely breathe easier.
Katrina Cornish, ALARC center director, recently released a published article introducing the advanced endotracheal tube (ETT), which uses balloon cuffs made from guayule latex.
Study findings suggest the alternative material complements the design: an allergen-safe, guayule latex endotracheal tube balloon cuff, inflates around the ETT to form a seal with the trachea, offering superior leak-proof and mechanical qualities compared to traditional polyvinyl chloride (PVC) balloon cuffs.
"Our innovative guayule latex ETT balloon cuffs offer a significant advancement in patient safety," said Cornish. "With their allergy-safe properties and exceptional mechanical performance, these cuffs provide a reliable, softer, and safer option for patients requiring endotracheal intubation."
Guayule is a perennial shrub native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. One of its applications is being used as a sustainable alternative to traditional rubber, which is sourced from the tropical rubber tree primarily grown in Southeast Asia.
These new guayule-based cuffs, designed to be placed around existing pleated PVC cuffs, on the outside, provide a safe alternative for patients with Type I latex allergies, minimize the risk of adverse contact reactions, and prevent leakage of bacteria-laden saliva into the lungs.
“Our new outer cuffs have been made with guayule latex using an accelerant system specifically designed to prevent adverse contact reactions and create a perfect seal with the patient’s trachea,” Cornish noted.
Cornish explained future studies could include stability testing of the cuffs against salivary and gastric secretions, multi-variable fluid leakage comparison, edema, and reintubation. She envisioned guayule farming propelling high-value medical products such as ETT cuffs into the commercial sector.
“If adopted by the healthcare industry, these cuffs have the potential to save hospitals and patients tens of thousands of dollars each year in VAP treatment and prevent deaths caused by ventilator-associated pneumonia,” Cornish said. back...
Endotracheal intubation has been a lifesaving albeit invasive airway opening procedure often performed on unconscious patients or those who can't breathe spontaneously amid surgery or emergencies.
The procedure involves placing a flexible tube in the windpipe through a patient’s mouth or nose and can pose a dire risk to patients who have adverse reactions to irritants, allergens, and bacterial infections.
It is estimated that 8-28% of mechanically ventilated patients develop ventilator associated pneumonia, with some cases fatal.
An ARS scientist and her team at the U.S. Arid Land Agricultural Research Center (ALARC) in Maricopa, AZ, addressed this challenge to help people safely breathe easier.
Katrina Cornish, ALARC center director, recently released a published article introducing the advanced endotracheal tube (ETT), which uses balloon cuffs made from guayule latex.
Study findings suggest the alternative material complements the design: an allergen-safe, guayule latex endotracheal tube balloon cuff, inflates around the ETT to form a seal with the trachea, offering superior leak-proof and mechanical qualities compared to traditional polyvinyl chloride (PVC) balloon cuffs.
"Our innovative guayule latex ETT balloon cuffs offer a significant advancement in patient safety," said Cornish. "With their allergy-safe properties and exceptional mechanical performance, these cuffs provide a reliable, softer, and safer option for patients requiring endotracheal intubation."
Guayule is a perennial shrub native to the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. One of its applications is being used as a sustainable alternative to traditional rubber, which is sourced from the tropical rubber tree primarily grown in Southeast Asia.
These new guayule-based cuffs, designed to be placed around existing pleated PVC cuffs, on the outside, provide a safe alternative for patients with Type I latex allergies, minimize the risk of adverse contact reactions, and prevent leakage of bacteria-laden saliva into the lungs.
“Our new outer cuffs have been made with guayule latex using an accelerant system specifically designed to prevent adverse contact reactions and create a perfect seal with the patient’s trachea,” Cornish noted.
Cornish explained future studies could include stability testing of the cuffs against salivary and gastric secretions, multi-variable fluid leakage comparison, edema, and reintubation. She envisioned guayule farming propelling high-value medical products such as ETT cuffs into the commercial sector.
“If adopted by the healthcare industry, these cuffs have the potential to save hospitals and patients tens of thousands of dollars each year in VAP treatment and prevent deaths caused by ventilator-associated pneumonia,” Cornish said. back...
