Project Description:

Over 3 million ICU patients in the United States undergo invasive mechanical ventilation each year through the placement of an endotracheal tube in the airway. However, sudden unplanned extubations remain a significant and dangerous complication. In the event of a complete extubation, ICU providers have only 2–3 minutes to intervene and save the patient’s life. Moreover, unplanned extubations can compound into respiratory failure, ventilator-associated pneumonia, and even death. Current devices called endotracheal tube fasteners have been developed to prevent this issue. Unfortunately, the failure of these devices is all too common. They can detach from the face due to the patient’s secretions, cause pressure injuries, and fail to resist turning or pulling forces on the tube. That’s why we set out to create the BreatheEasy EndoGuard, a novel endotracheal tube holder that addresses these failure points of other devices. Our device uses a ratchet-style locking mechanism alongside chevron-like protrusions that accommodate various tube sizes while preventing patient-initiated removal. A pivoting mouthpiece further adapts to head movement, reducing the risk of extubation during routine care. Every year, 21,000 Americans die due to unplanned extubations in ICU settings. With the BreatheEasy EndoGuard, we aim to eliminate unplanned extubations within ICUs nationwide.