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Nasal-tragus length for estimating optimal insertion depth of endotracheal tube in Thai neonates

Journal of Perinatology volume 40, pages 595–599 (2020)Cite this article

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Abstract

Objective

To develop a nasal-tragus length (NTL)-based table for estimating the endotracheal tube (ETT) insertion depth.

Study design

A prospective study of 110 Thai neonates was conducted in a NICU in Bangkok, Thailand. The correlation between the optimal insertion depth (Opt-Depth) and NTL was determined, and then an NTL-based table for estimating ETT depth was developed. The accuracy of using various methods in estimating ETT depth was compared.

Results

A strong correlation between Opt-Depth and NTL was found (r = 0.897, p < 0.001). There was no significant difference between ETT depth estimated by the NTL-based table and Opt-Depth [mean difference (95% CI) −0.75 (−12.11 to 10.61) mm, p = 0.22]. The accuracies of using NTL + 1, NTL-based, GA-based, and BW-based tables for estimating ETT depth were 32.7%, 55.5%, 61.8%, and 52.7%, respectively.

Conclusion

Our NTL-based table for estimating the ETT depth had an acceptable accuracy while using “NTL + 1” resulted in overestimating ETT depth.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Prof. Pracha Nuntnarumit and Assoc. Prof. Umaporn Udomsubpayakul for their statistical analysis assistance. We are grateful to Assoc. Prof. Ratchada Kitsommart and Assist. Prof. Pharuhad Pongmee for reviewing our manuscript and providing valuable suggestions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand

    Chayuttra Voraruth & Anchalee Limrungsikul

  2. Department of Pediatric Nursing, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand

    Numtip Tongsawang

  3. Department of Diagnostic and Therapeutic Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand

    Nichanan Ruangwattanapaisarn

Authors
  1. Chayuttra Voraruth
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  2. Numtip Tongsawang
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  3. Nichanan Ruangwattanapaisarn
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  4. Anchalee Limrungsikul
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Correspondence to Anchalee Limrungsikul.

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Voraruth, C., Tongsawang, N., Ruangwattanapaisarn, N. et al. Nasal-tragus length for estimating optimal insertion depth of endotracheal tube in Thai neonates. J Perinatol 40, 595–599 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41372-019-0502-y

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