Tube Tip Position in Orally Intubated 0-4year Old Children: Assessment of the Precision of Two Clinical Techniques

Endotracheal Tube Tip Position in Orally Intubated 0-4 Year Old Children: Comparative Assessment of the Precision of Two Clinical Techniques

In pediatric anesthesia it is very important to place the endotracheal tube into the right position. This study compares two clinical location methods. The hypothesis means that the two techniques have the same precision of the location of the tip position of a cuffed MICROCUFF (Kimberly-Clark)endotracheal tube.

Appropriate location of the tip of an endotracheal tube (TET), in relation to the carina and vocal cords, is of great importance in pediatric anesthesia. A not optimal laying tube causes life threatening consequences. Therefore, it is very essential to have reliable methods how to place the tube tip in regard of the precision of the localisation. There are no standardized methods how to accomplish a precise position. The study compares two most applied techniques. The first one is the cuff palpation technique (CPT), the second one the deliberate right mainstem intubation technique (RMT).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 0-4 years
• ASA I-II
• requiring endotracheal tube for surgical/diagnostic procedures

Exclusion Criteria:

• patients with abnormal airway anatomy
• kyphoscoliosis
• syndromes known to affect airway anatomy