What is ISO 11990 - Determination of laser resistance of tracheal tube shaft and tracheal cuffs about?
ISO 11990 specifies a method of testing the continuous wave (cw) laser resistance of the shaft of a tracheal tube and the cuff regions including the inflation system of tracheal tubes designed to resist ignition by a laser.
Note1: When interpreting these results, the attention of the user is drawn to the fact that the direct applicability of the results of this test method to the clinical situation has not been fully established.
Note2: The attention of the users of products tested by this method is drawn to the fact that the laser will be wavelength sensitive and tested at the wavelength for which it is intended to be used. If tested using other wavelengths, explicitly state the power settings and modes of delivery.
Who is ISO 11990 - Determination of laser resistance of tracheal tube shaft and tracheal cuffs for?
ISO 11990 on laser resistance is useful for:
- Laser equipment manufacturers
- Clinicians
Why should you use ISO 11990 - Determination of laser resistance of tracheal tube shaft and tracheal cuffs?
A fire in the airway is always a serious matter. In addition to local damage in the larynx, injury can occur to the lower airway and the parenchymal tissue in the lung. The products of combustion can be blown into the lungs.
Procedures performed in the airway, where a tracheal tube and a laser are used, bring together an oxygen-enriched atmosphere, fuel, and high power, are the three ingredients necessary to create a fire. The likelihood that a laser beam will contact the tracheal tube during airway procedures is high. This led to the development of a test method, described in ISO 11990, to assist the clinician in determining which tracheal tube shaft was the most laser-resistant under a defined set of conditions.