A CLINICAL COMPARISON OF BRONCHIAL CUFF PRESSURES IN 3 DIFFERENT DESIGNS OF LEFT DOUBLE-LUMEN TUBES

This study compared the bronchial cuff pressures and volumes required by three different designs of disposable left double-lumen tubes durin g clinical one-lung ventilation in 48 patients having right thoracotom ies. Mallinckrodt, Rusch, and Sheridan design tubes (n = 16 for each) were studied in a randomized fashion using Fr# 35, 37, 39, and 41 size s (n = 12 for each size). There were no pressure/volume differences be tween brands during bronchial cuff inflation before endotracheal intub ation. Intraoperatively, the Sheridan design required significantly hi gher mean bronchial cuff pressures: 27.9 cm H2O +/- 17 cm H2O (SD)! t han either the Mallinckrodt 17.6 cm H2O +/- 8.5 cm H2O (P = 0.012)! o r Rusch 14.1 cm H2O +/- 8.6 cm H2O (P = 0.010)! to achieve one-lung i solation. During prolonged one-lung ventilation, the potential for tra uma to the bronchus may be reduced with a Mallinckrodt or Rusch design of left double-lumen tube.