New intraoral device for prevention of oral lesions in intubated patients

Oral injuries in patients in Intensive Care Units (ICU) are recurrent, especially during endotracheal intubation, as the presence of the tube added to the teeth in the oral cavity can cause injuries to the tongue and other soft tissues. Ideally, tube stabilization devices should be easy to handle by the hospital staff, should always be available for use in ICUs, in addition to being low cost. The aim of this study was to develop a device for endotracheal tube stabilization and injury prevention in patients. 3D technical drawings were prepared, and the final version of the device was prototyped in polylactic acid and positioned in the patient. When compared to mouthguards described in the literature, it was found that the developed device provided stability for the tube, provided separation of the teeth from the adjacent soft tissues, and prevented the intubated patient from biting the tube, thus contributing to the prevention of traumatic injuries. It was concluded that the device has characteristics that allow stabilization of the endotracheal tube and the prevention of oral lesions in ICU patients, and can be used by hospital nursing staff.