title: Sonographic detection of tracheal or esophageal intubation: A cadaver study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The correct position of the endotracheal tube is confirmed by various modalities, most of which are not entirely reliable. Ultrasound is now increasingly available to anesthesiologists in the operating theater and is an attractive alternative. To investigate the usefulness of sonography in identifying the correct tracheal tube position in human cadavers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Endotracheal tubes placed randomly into trachea or esophagus was identified with a linear ultrasound probe placed transversely just above the suprasternal notch by a single anesthesiologist.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 100 intubations performed at random, 99 were correctly identified to give a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 97.9%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Sonography is a useful technique to identify correct position of the tracheal tube.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, MS Ramaiah Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Tejesh
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, MS Ramaiah Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: A C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Manjunath
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, MS Ramaiah Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shivakumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, MS Ramaiah Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Vinayak
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, MS Ramaiah Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Yatish
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, MS Ramaiah Medical College, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Geetha
keywords: Esophageal intubation; sonography; tracheal intubation