Ultrasonography for Determining Endotracheal Tube Tip Position in Very Low Birth Weight Infants.

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the feasibility of USG in confirming the endotracheal tube site and compare it with chest X-rays in very low birth weight infants. A chest X-ray and thorax ultrasonography processes are started as soon as the infant is intubated. Endotracheal tube place is evaluated with ultrasonography and noted, and with chest X-ray and time elapsed in these two processes are noted. The correlation between these two methods was calculated. While endotracheal tubes are visualized with 100% success, there was a significant correlation between the measures of endotracheal tube-carina distances (r = .979, P > .001). In addition, ultrasonography was six times faster than chest X-ray interpretation (USG; 4.6 ± 1.8min vs CXR; 29.6 ± 9.0min, P < .001). Ultrasonography is a feasible and faster method for determining endotracheal tube place in very low birth weight infants and may prevent radiation exposure in neonatal intensive care units.