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Tactile orotracheal tube placement test
Author(s) -
CHARTERS P.,
WILKINSON K.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1987.tb04102.x
Subject(s) - orotracheal intubation , medicine , test (biology) , intubation , larynx , tube (container) , endotracheal tube , medical physics , surgery , mechanical engineering , paleontology , engineering , biology
Summary The development of a tactile clinical test of the positioned orotracheal tube is described which allows confirmation of its location within the larynx. It was possible, after preliminary experience with the test, to confirm laryngeal placement confidently in an average of 97% of cases in two concurrent series each of which consisted of 100 patients. Inevitably, there are limitations to its usefulness but it has the advantage that no special apparatus is required for its performance. The implications of this test are discussed in relation to difficult intubation, obstetric anaesthesia, the teaching of applied anatomy and checking by their trainers of intubations performed by very junior anaesthetists. Familiarity with this test should be considered essential for its reliable implementation.