A Comparison of Formulated Tracheal Tube Size to Maximal Possable Size in Children

Movahhedi H, Naderi B

Guilan Medical University , Amir – al – momenin hospital.

Endotracheal intubation , a main part of general anesthesia , protects the airway and has absolute & relative indications .

Besides having many advantages , endotracheal intubation has its own complications which are partly due to tubes & patients characteristics.

Estimating endotracheal tube (ET) size in children is derived from a standard formula[ (age/4 )  + 4 ] but in a majority of children  , only  smaller tubes are passable through the glottis .

In this study , done on 362 children , we compared the standard size of ET to the maximal passable size and found their difference and considered the effect of age , sex and weight of the child on this difference .

It was shown that the maximal passable size was less than the estimated standard one . Again age & weight had some effects on this difference but sex didn`t. Finding a more accurate formula for estimating ET size , containing all factors involved , needs wider studies .