FAQ

QUESTION:

Why is it important to invest in a product like the TVT, when there are standard endotracheal tubes which work well?

ANSWER:

Recent trends in healthcare point to an increased awareness and demand for disease preventive technologies. Governments and insurance corporations are seeking to make hospitals responsible for costs associated with prolonged patient stay due to preventable diseases.

Ventilator associated pneumonia (VAP) is one such disease which is extremely costly to hospitals, yet will no longer be insured since it is believed to be easily prevented by more effective airway management. The TVT is the ideal tool for hospital ICUs to lower incidence of VAP, and thereby decrease their healthcare costs. In addition, the TVT will help reduce hospital payments incurred by damages during difficult intubations which generally include broken teeth and scratched vocal chords.

QUESTION:

"I am an experienced doctor, and believe it's easier to intubate without looking at the screen."

ANSWER:

Experienced medical personnel sometimes find it easier to intubate using the skills they have already perfected. However, for less skilled personnel, or in difficult intubation situations, the visual guidance facilitates success. In addition, viewing the images gives absolute verification that the tube is in the correct position and saves valuable time. The TVT Introducer enables intubation without the use of a laryngoscope, making intubation safer in cases where neck manipulation is unsafe or unwise.

QUESTION:

“There are other devices used for verifying tracheal placement. What is the advantage of the TVT?”

ANSWER:

Chest radiography is the Gold Standard, but is not available in the pre-hospital setting, and in-hospital time is wasted waiting for results. Likewise, bronchoscopy is very accurate, but not readily available in the pre-hospital setting and is expensive ($400 per procedure) inside the hospital. Auscultation of breath sounds is notorious for being inaccurate and is only used for the immediate post-intubation assessment. End-tidal CO2 detection devices yield inaccurate results in low perfusion states, such as cardiac arrest. It also cannot detect one-lung intubation where CO2 output and capnography profile is virtually unchanged. Information obtained from the EDD (Esophageal Detector Device) and transtracheal illumination is highly dependent on the experience of the observer, with poorer accuracy when used by paramedics and with no facility for permanent objective documentation.

QUESTION:

“Why is the TVT needed in the O.R. if a bronchoscope is available?”

ANSWER:

Continuous monitoring of tube position still plays a major role in many procedures, such as those requiring repositioning of the patient during the operation (e.g., back and hip surgery), thoracic surgery, thyroid surgery, and in circumstances where it is anticipated that the patient will remain intubated after the procedure in ICU. In addition, the TVT provides a simple and cost-effective solution in various elective surgeries where difficult intubation is anticipated e.g. micrognatia, poor Mallapati score, gastric bypass for morbid obesity patients and others. Intubation with the TVT eliminates the need for bronchoscopy for placement of endobronchial blocking devices for lung surgery and enables continuous visualization of airway status. The TVT is for single use and eliminates sterilization time between procedures.

QUESTION:

“Why is the TVT better than the other visualized intubation aids on the market?"

ANSWER:

The ETView TVT is the only device that remains in place after the intubation procedure and enables continuous monitoring for as long as the tube is in place. Many of the other intubation aids are quite useful for the intubation process, but are removed at the end of the intubation and do not permit continuous monitoring. They are also more expensive than the TVT.

QUESTION:

“Why should I use the TVT when I can use a standard endotracheal tube?”

ANSWER:

• You are prepared in the event of unexpected “difficult intubation”. 
• You will recover the extra cost on reduction in number of chest X-rays and bronchoscopies. 
• You will have continuous information about tube positioning. 
• You will have timely information for secretion management and treatment of airway emergencies. 
• You will be able to suction under visual guidance.

QUESTION:

“What is the advantage of suctioning under visual guidance?”

ANSWER:

The ETView TVT enables selective suctioning of the main bronchi. In blind intubation, because of the anatomy, the suction catheter is most likely to enter the right main bronchus every time. Under visual guidance the catheter can be directed to pass the angle from the main carina into the left bronchus. This ensures more efficient respiratory toilet.