title: "Blind" placement of plastic left double-lumen tubes.
abstract: A prospective analysis of placement of left-sided plastic double-lumen tubes in 100 patients is presented. Intubation of the left bronchus was successfully accomplished using only auscultation and clinical signs ("blind" placement) in 91 patients. Double-lumen tubes were positioned in less than five minutes in 84 patients. The most common problem encountered (30%) was initial intubation of the right main bronchus. Seven of these patients required bronchoscopic assistance to guide the tube into the left bronchus. There were four minor intraoperative complications due to DLT malposition that were recognized and corrected by withdrawing the tube slightly back in the bronchus. The plastic double-lumen tubes functioned properly during the procedure in all 100 patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, California 94305, USA.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Brodsky
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Macario
authors.forename: W B
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Cannon
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Mark
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000758:Anesthesia / Q000379:methods; D001980:Bronchi; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007440:Intubation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010969:Plastics; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013903:Thoracic Surgery
chemical_list: D010969:Plastics