Tuesday March 27, 2007


Q; Is equal breath sounds a reliable indicator of proper placement of ETT (endotracheal placement) ?

A; No

Atleast per one study, equal breath sounds can be heard in up to 60% of right main stem intubations and can't be count as a reliable indicator of proper placement of ETT. Only CXR and morely, a bronchoscopy is a reliable way to confirm ETT placement.

Related previous pearls: What's the right length of endotracheal tube (ETT) for oral intubation?


References: click to get abstract/article if available
1. Assessment of routine chest roentgenograms and the physical examination to confirm endotracheal tube position. Chest1989;96:1043-1045.