U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Monday there was a shortage of tracheostomy tubes, a surgical device that helps patients to breathe, including those manufactured by ICU Medical.

The agency said the shortage was due to difficulties in raw material procurement and would most likely impact pediatric patients.

They will be affected by the limited supply of tubes with similar functionality as ICU Medical's Bivona, that are made from flexible silicone and easier to use in children.

The health regulator has recommended reusing tracheostomy tubes after following proper sanitary procedures in order to deal with the current shortage.