Can Silver-Coated Endotracheal Tubes Reduce VAP Incidence?

The use of antimicrobial-impregnated vascular catheters has been associated with a significant reduction in the incidence of central vascular catheter–associated bloodstream infections. Might a similar technology help to reduce the incidence of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP)?

In preliminary studies, use of an endotracheal tube that was coated internally and externally with silver ions dispersed in a polymer was associated with delayed bacterial colonization on the tube’s inner surface and with decreased colonization of the airway. Now, with funding from the manufacturer, investigators have conducted a multicenter, single-blind, randomized, controlled trial comparing the silver-coated endotracheal tube with an uncoated but otherwise id…