minimal leak technique or mlt is amethod of inflating a trach tube cuff with air or water. mlt assures a trach tube cuff safely and effectively provides ventilator air from escaping around thecuff. a patient must be on a ventilator when you fill a cuff using minimalleak technique. first wash your hands. clean your work surface with soap and water or a disinfecting wipe. assemble the supplies you need for mlt. a pair of non-sterile gloves, a stethoscope, a 10 or 12 milliliter lure tip syringe,and sterile water and a sterile
container for a water-filled cuff. next put on the gloves. listen with a stethoscope for the soundof ventilator air on the right or left side of the patient's neck. attach the syringe to the pilot balloon. pull back the plunger and completelydeflate the cuff. remove the syringe from the pilotballoon. completely depress the plunger to remove all the air or water from the syringe. place the stethoscope in the samelocation on the patient's neck. the sound
of air from the ventilator should now belouder. refill the syringe with air or sterile water depending on what the cuffuses. note the amount of air or water you putinto the syringe. reconnect the syringe to the pilotballoon. place the stethoscope in the samelocation and the patient's neck. slowly push air or sterile water into the cuffuntil you cannot hear any ventilator air. now slowly pull back the syringe plunger.deflate the cuff until you hear a light squeak of air from the ventilatorthrough the stethoscope. detach the syringe and not the amount ofair or water that remains.
subtract this amount from the amount ofair or sterile water you pulled into the syringe. record the amount of air or sterilewater you use to inflate the cuff with minimal leak technique. patient position or changes in tissuethickness can affect the seal of a cuff you filled using mlt. recheck the cuff using mlt every two to four hours. be sure you receive training fromsomeone skilled in mlt so you can correctly perform this important technique.