Question

How do you confirm endotracheal tube insertion within the trachea?

Answer 1

To confirm endotracheal tube placement in the trachea, medical professionals use visual confirmation, auscultation of breath sounds, observation of chest movements, capnography, fogging in the tube, and an in-use test.

Step-by-step explanation:

To confirm endotracheal tube insertion within the trachea, several methods are utilized by medical professionals:

1. Visual confirmation of the tube passing through the vocal cords.
2. Auscultation of breath sounds over the lungs and absence of sounds over the stomach to ensure the tube is not in the esophagus.
3. Observation of chest rise and symmetrical chest movement with ventilations.
4. Using capnography to measure the concentration of carbon dioxide in exhaled air, which indicates the tube is correctly placed in the trachea where gas exchange occurs.
5. Checking for fogging in the tube, which indicates exhalation into a humid environment such as the trachea.
6. An in-use test which involves attaching the tube to a device like a bag-valve mask or ventilator and observing for appropriate delivery of breaths.

Confirming the correct placement of the endotracheal tube is critical, as improper placement can lead to inadequate ventilation and oxygenation, or damage to the patient's respiratory system.