A new and simple maneuver to position the left-sided double-lumen tube without the aid of fiberoptic bronchoscopy.

UNLABELLED: The double-lumen tube (DLT) is the mainstay of one-lung ventilation (OLV). We sought to determine whether this new intubation maneuver using an endobronchial cuff pressure could be substituted for verification by fiberoptic bronchoscope (FOB) in most conditions requiring left-sided DLT. Seventy-nine patients requiring video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery for pneumothorax or mediastinal mass, or open thoracotomy for lung or esophageal cancer were enrolled in this study. We used 35F (n = 23), 37F (n = 51), or 39F (n = 5) disposable polyvinyl chloride DLTs (Broncho-Cath; Mallinckrodt Medical Ltd., Athlone, Ireland), depending on the height and gender of the patients. The DLTs were inserted deeply until resistance was felt. At that time, the pilot of the endobronchial cuff was connected to the Control-Inflator (VBM Medizintechnik GmbH, Sulz am Neckar, Germany) via a three-way stopcock. The bronchial balloon was inflated with 1.0-2.0 mL of air through the stop-cock until approximately 30 cm H2O of cuff pressure was obtained. The DLT was slowly withdrawn until the pressure of the Control-Inflator decreased to approximately half the peak pressure during the initial phase of removal. At that time, the bronchial balloon was deflated, and the DLT was advanced approximately 1.0 cm (1.5 cm for the 39F DLT); using FOB, its position was checked by an independent observer not involved in positioning the DLTs. The ideal position was defined as that in which the carina was located at the same level with the middle 5 mm between the proximal margin of the endobronchial balloon and the circumferential black mark. In 50 patients the position was ideal, and in 27 patients it was not ideal but was within the margin of the safety. There were only two failures. We conclude that if a FOB is unavailable or inapplicable, this simple and new maneuver may be used as a substitute during the positioning of DLTs.

IMPLICATIONS: The correct position of the double-lumen tube is vital for one-lung ventilation, which has been confirmed with a fiberoptic bronchoscope. We devised a simple maneuver to position the double-lumen tube correctly without a fiberoptic bronchoscope.