Same Trusted Brand, More Advanced Technology

Shiley™ tracheostomy tubes have a 40-year history of facilitating positive patient outcomes through innovative designs that simplify patient care. We listened to your feedback and came up with an enhanced design for our new Shiley™ flexible adult tracheostomy tubes. The following blog post summarizes these enhancements compared to our traditional design.^†

Introducing Shiley^TM flexible adult tracheostomy tubes

1. A more comfortable tracheostomy tube

We compared the comfort level of both the traditional Shiley^TM tracheostomy tube product line and the newer Shiley^TM flexible adult tracheostomy tubes. In this section we’ll explore the flange and its material.

Key characteristics of our traditional tracheostomy tubes include:

• A more rigid flange
• An opaque colored flange
• Firm, sturdy PVC material

Key characteristics of the newer Shiley™ flexible adult tracheostomy tubes include:

• A soft, recessed flange, designed to reduce contact with the stoma site
• Clear flange material, designed to make it easier to see the underlying skin
• Softer material for the tube cannula, compared to previous Shiley™ tracheostomy tubes^†

Related: Want to learn more? Download the Feature and Specification Comparison Guide

2. Help wean patients from ventilators sooner

Design changes to the cuff and enhancements to Shiley^TM flexible adult tracheostomy tubes can help improve airflow and may reduce the work of breathing required to speak and wean from a tracheostomy tube.^1,2

A key characteristic of traditional tracheostomy tubes is a high-volume, low-pressure barrel-shaped cuff.

Key characteristics of the newer Shiley™ flexible adult tracheostomy tube include:

• Low-profile Taperguard^TM cuff, which reduces fluid leakage by 96 percent at a lower cuff pressure versus the Shiley^TM DCT tracheostomy tube.³
• Reduced insertion force by 39 percent compared to the Shiley^TM DCT tracheostomy tube cuff²
• Exertion of 18.6 percent less lateral wall pressure on the trachea than the Shiley^TM DCT tube with a traditional barrel-shaped cuff⁴
• Airflow around the outer cannula. When the cuff is deflated, airflow has increased by an average of 242 percent compared to the Shiley^TM DCT tracheostomy tube⁵
• Improved airflow, which may reduce the work of breathing that’s required to speak and wean from a tracheostomy tube¹

Related: See how the Shiley^TM flexible tracheostomy tubes enhance patient care, comfort, and clinical convenience. Watch the video

3. An easy-to-use option

Changes to the sizing and connectors on the newer Shiley^TM flexible tracheostomy tube are simplified, it so it’s easier to use. And the expanded size offering provides clinicians with more options. For example, the 15-millimeter connector is integrated so that you can ventilate the patient with or without the inner cannula . The legacy product only permitted you to connect to a ventilator through the 15-millimeter connector when the inner cannula is in the tube.

Take a look at the key characteristics of each.

Traditional Shiley™ tracheostomy tube characteristics include:

• Traditional Jackson sizing 4, 6, 8, 10
• 15-millimeter connector that is part of the disposable or reusable inner cannula

Newer Shiley^TM flexible tracheostomy tube characteristics include:

• Expanded color coded Jackson sizing include 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10
• Integrated 15-millimeter connector enables ventilation with or without an inner cannula

† Previous Shiley^TM tracheostomy tubes refers to Shiley™ DCT, DCFS, DCFN, DFEN, LPC, CFS, CFN, FEN and Perc tracheostomy tubes.

References:
1. Mullins JB, Templer JW, Kong J, Davis WE, Hinson J Jr. Airway resistance and work of breathing in tracheostomy tubes. Laryngoscope. 1993;103(12):1367–1372.
2. Maguire S, Haury F, Jew K. An invitro comparison of tracheostomy tube cuffs. Medical Devices (Auckland, N.Z.) New Zealand, 8, 185- 192. April 21, 2015.
3. Internal benchtop testing results Athlone 2013. Results reflect testing the Shiley™ Flexible adult tracheostomy tube with TaperGuard™ cuff, disposable inner cannula at 20 cm H20 versus the Shiley™ DCT tracheostomy tube with disposable Inner cannula at 25 cm H20.
4. Internal benchtop testing results. Results reflect the Shiley™ flexible adult tracheostomy tube with TaperGuard™ cuff, disposable inner cannula tubes ability to titrate / control ventilator air leak in comparison to the Shiley™ tracheostomy tube cuffed with disposable inner cannula (DCT). Benchtop test # 10122514.
5. Based on internal testing comparing the Shiley™ flexible adult tracheostomy tube with TaperGuard™ cuff to the Shiley™ DCT tracheostomy tube cuffed. Data on file. #10119661.

Topics: Shiley™ Tracheostomy