Abstract: A respiration catheter has a sealing cuff (12) which encircles the catheter tube (10) and can be connected through a separate cuff inflation tube (14) with a source of compressed air with a substantially constant pressure. The cuff has a collar at both ends of the cuff. The cuff inflation tube (14) has an opening (17) below the collar of the cuff (13) in the vicinity of the free end of the catheter. A thin-walled part of the collar (15) covers the inlet of the cuff inflation tube into the cuff, and functions as a cut-off valve which is controlled by the pressure of the respiration air and is adapted to prevent air in the sealing cuff from escaping when this pressure exceeds the pressure in the source of compressed air.