With its integral suction lumen and evacuation port, the Hi-Lo Evac endotracheal tube by Tyco/Mallinckrodt provides a safe way to suction the subglottic area above the ET tube cuff. The lumen avoids trauma to the vocal cords and the device has been shown to reduce or delay the onset of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP).
In mechanically ventilated patients, subglottic secretions pool above the endotracheal (ET) tube cuff, where they can contaminate the lower respiratory tract and cause pneumonia. Continuous removal of these secretions has been shown to reduce the incidence of VAP.