Relationship Between Computed Tomography –Derived Left Bronchial Diameter and Double- Lumen Endotracheal Tube Size Selection

Many anesthesiologists use patient sex and height to determine double-lumen tube (DLT) size, but there are no formal guidelines.1 Preoperative computed tomography may serve as a guide to determine DLT size, but studies examining this have had important limitations.2-5 Instead of theoretical size ranges, we performed a pilot study to identify which patients have had a properly sized DLT placed, and reported the observed left bronchial diameters. To assess the reproducibility of this technique, 4 investigators repeated measurements to assess interobserver variability.

Source: Journal of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Anesthesia - February 16, 2024 Category: Anesthesiology Authors: Alan M. Smeltz, Ashley B. Wicker, Dustin J. Belliston-Fowkes, Linh N. Tran, Emmaline J. Smith, Xinming An, Bridget I. Lin, Emily G. Teeter Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research