title: Fibre-optic bronchoscopic evaluation of tracheal tube position.
abstract: Verification of tracheal tube position by fibre-optic bronchoscopy was evaluated in 20 critically ill adult patients. The distance between the carina and the tube was measured by direct visualization with a fibre-optic bronchoscope and compared with the corresponding measurement obtained from a concomitant chest radiograph. The measured values did not differ significantly and in 18 out of 20 patients the accuracy was within 2 cm. No adverse effects were observed. We conclude that verification of tracheal tube position by fibre-optic bronchoscopy is a safe alternative to chest X-ray.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, University Hospital of Odense, Denmark.
authors.forename: L H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kristensen
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Knudsen
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Andersen
mesh_terms: D001999:Bronchoscopy; D005260:Female; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male