CJA
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a scholarly reply
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Lieberman, D.
Right arrow Articles by Unruh, H.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Lieberman, D.
Right arrow Articles by Unruh, H.

Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, Vol 43, 238-242, Copyright © 1996 by Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society

ARTICLES

Placement of left double-lumen endobronchial tubes with or without a stylet

D Lieberman, J Littleford, T Horan and H Unruh
Department of Anaesthesia, University of Manitoba, Health Sciences Centre, Winnipeg, Canada.

PURPOSE: This study was designed to determine if leaving a stylet in the left Bronch-Cath endobronchial tube (DLT) for the entire intubating procedure improves the accuracy of placement on the initial attempt, without introducing complications. METHODS: Sixty ASA 1-3 patients were randomized to one of two groups. In Group 1 (n = 30), the stylet was retained for the entire intubation procedure and in Group 2 (n = 30), the stylet was removed once the bronchial cuff had passed the vocal cords. In both groups, the DLT was turned 110 degrees counterclockwise and advanced until resistance was encountered. Placement was assessed by auscultation and fibreoptic bronchoscopy (FOB). After surgery, the DLT was replaced by a single-lumen endotracheal tube. The thoracic surgeon (blinded to the method of intubation, and using a FOB) assessed the appearance of the tracheobronchial mucosa. RESULTS: The two groups were similar with respect to sex, height, weight, DLT size, surgeon and expertise of the laryngoscopist. When the stylet was retained, the DLT was correctly placed 60% of the time compared with 17%, if the stylet was removed, (P = 0.001). Seven out of 30 DLTs in Group 2 were initially placed into the right mainstem bronchus, (P = 0.005). The average time to confirmation of correct tube placement by FOB was increased in Group 2, (P = 0.01). Although the observed incidence of left bronchial, mucosal petechiae and erythema was greater in Group 2, this was not statistically significant, (P = 0.063). CONCLUSION: Retaining the stylet for the entire intubation procedure allows for a more rapid, accurate placement of the DLT without increasing the incidence of tracheobronchial mucosa injury.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Anesth. Analg.Home page
D. Amar, D. P. Desiderio, P. M. Heerdt, A. C. Kolker, H. Zhang, and H. T. Thaler
Practice Patterns in Choice of Left Double-Lumen Tube Size for Thoracic Surgery
Anesth. Analg., February 1, 2008; 106(2): 379 - 383.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Anesth. Analg.Home page
J. Lohser and J. B. Brodsky
Tracheal Perforation from Double-Lumen Tubes: Size May Be Important
Anesth. Analg., October 1, 2005; 101(4): 1243 - 1244.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Canadian J. AnesthesiaHome page
P. Slinger
Lung isolation in thoracic anesthesia, state of the art
Can J Anesth, June 1, 2001; 48(90001): R3 - 3.
[Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1996 by the Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society.