Evaluation of the Endotracheal Tube by Ultrasound in Neonates

Abstract

The reliable evaluation of a correctly placed endotracheal tube is an essential challenge in neonatology. Point-of-care ultrasound is an emerging method to address this concern with the following advantages: less time-consuming, no exposure to radiation, less staff-intensive, and high tolerability by the patients. This article focuses on the evaluation of the clinical application of point-of-care ultrasound to examine the position of the endotracheal tube with regard to visualization, consistency compared to the chest X-ray, and the level of training to obtain sufficient results. We identified nine studies relevant to these questions. The visualization of the endotracheal tube by using point-of-care ultrasound is highly effective. The assessment of a correctly placed endotracheal tube is comparable to the results of a chest X-ray. The technique is suitable for any examiner with previous ultrasound experience. Future applications such as emergency intubations, implementation in the standard care of extremely low birth weight preterm babies, and use in low-resource settings could be promising. This article offers a practical guideline to promote the level of awareness and the clinical application.