title: Evaluation of the SCOTI device for confirming blind nasal intubation.
abstract: The sonomatic confirmation of tracheal intubation (SCOTI) is a new device used to confirm the correct placement of tracheal tubes. It utilises a sonic technique for recognition of a resonating frequency for detection of tracheal intubation. We compared its predictive value with that of the clinical auscultatory method and a capnograph to confirm 132 blind nasal intubations using three different tracheal tubes [red rubber (n = 82), polyvinyl chloride (n = 33) and RAE preformed nasal (n = 17)]. SCOTI correctly identified 70.8% of intubations and chest auscultation did so 99.2% of times. All results were confirmed using a capnograph. The SCOTI device gave a false-negative value in 37 patients (28%) and a false-positive result in two patients (1.5%). The response time for confirming intubations was 2.5 (1.5) s for the SCOTI, 4.1 (1.1) s for a capnograph and 40 (9.4) s for the auscultatory method. The erroneous results shown by the SCOTI device were highest when polyvinyl chloride tubes with a Murphy's eye were used for intubation. This study shows that this device is not very useful for ascertaining the correct placement of tracheal tubes after blind nasal intubation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Trikha
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rewari
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Arora
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001314:Auscultation; D019296:Capnography; D004947:Esophagus; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D005547:Foreign Bodies / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014463:Ultrasonography