ABSTRACT
Background: Univent(R) tube was designed to overcome the disadvantages of double lumen endotracheal tube for one lung anesthesia. But overinflation of the blocker cuff of an endobronchial tube can cause pressure damage to the bronchus. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the blocker cuff pressure and the duration of ballooning using the Univent(R) tube is correlated with the degree of bronchial mucosal damage (BMD). Methods: A total of 13 men and 7 women intubated with the Univent(R) tube were enrolled for the study. The BMD were evaluated by direct visualization using fiberoptic bronchoscopy prior to intubation and following extubation and the degree of the BMD were scored from 0 to 4 as follows; 0: normal, 1: erythema, 2: swelling, 3: hemorrhage, 4: mucosal wall tearing. Results: No change in bronchial mucosa (score 0) were observed in 11 patients (55%), erythema (score 1) in 5 patients (25%), swelling (score 2) in 3 patients (15%), hemorrhage (score 3) in 1 patient (5%) and mucosal wall tearing (score 4) is none in 20 patients. The bronchial blocker cuff pressure required to "just sealing" the bronchus was 178.1+/-37.4 mmHg with corresponding cuff volume of 6.7+/-1.0 cc. The duration of ballooning was 115.5+/-26.4 min. The correlation coefficient between the blocker cuff pressure and duration of ballooning to the degree of bronchial mucosal damage were 0.125 and 0.137, respectively, which was not statistically significant. Conclusions: The bronchial blocker of Univent(R) tube doesn't cause any severe BMD and the degree of BMD are correlated with neither the bronchial blocker cuff pressure nor duration of ballooning of Univent(R) tube.
Subject(s)
Female , Humans , Male , Anesthesia , Bronchi , Bronchoscopy , Erythema , Hemorrhage , Intubation , Lung , Mucous MembraneABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The univent tube is an endotracheal tube with a movable bronchial blocker for one lung ventilation. The purpose of this study was to measure the appropriate cuff volume sealing the mainstem bronchus by three different techniques. METHODS: This study was performed in 60 adult patients undergoing thoracotomy. 1) The negative pressure was applied to the end of blocker causing loss of volume in the breathing system. The blocker cuff volume was measured at the point of the bag ceased to deflate. 2) The blocker cuff volume was measured when breathing sound is not heard on blocked lung. 3) Then the capnometer was applied to the blocker and the cuff volume was measured at the point of the CO2 wave ceased abruptly. The bronchial blocker volumes from these three methods were compared with the volume which was measured when the lung was completely collapsed in operation field. RESULTS: Left bronchial sealing volume was 2.7+/-?0.8 ml with negative pressure technique, 3.5+/-0.8 ml with auscultation, 3.2?1.2 ml with CO2 technique and 3.0+/-0.7 ml with complete lung collapse at operation field. Right bronchial sealing volume ranged 3.5+/-0.9 ml with negative pressure technique, 4.6+/-1.0 ml with auscultation, 3.9+/-0.6 ml with CO2 technique and 4.2+/-0.9 ml with complete lung collapse at operation field. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that right bronchial blocker volume was 4.2+/-0.9 ml and left bronchial blocker volume was 3.0+/-0.7 ml. The right bronchial blocker volume was larger than the left.