• Tabatha Kane and Faith Claman.
• Virginia Hospital Center, Arlington, USA.
• Nurs Times. 2012 Sep 4; 108 (36): 21-3.

BackgroundVentilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is a common hospital-acquired infection that is associated with higher mortality rates, increased healthcare costs and longer hospitalisations. One intervention that has recently been used to reduce the prevalence of VAP is a new type of endotracheal tube impregnated with silver sulfadiazine.AimTo investigate whether the use of silver-coated endotracheal tubes reduces VAP in adult intubated patients.MethodA thorough evidence-based literature review was conducted to investigate whether the use of silver-coated endotracheal tubes reduces the incidence of VAP. The following databases were consulted: CINAHL; Medline; Health Source: Nursing and Academic edition; ProQuest Nursing and Allied Health Source; Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; TRIP Database; and National Guideline Clearinghouse.ResultsThe use of silver-coated endotracheal tubes reduces the prevalence of VAP in intubated patients but should not be used as an isolated intervention.ConclusionMore research is needed to assess whether the benefits of silver-coated endotracheal tubes, coupled with additional VAP prevention strategies, outweigh the costs incurred.

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