[Replacement of a Tracheal Tube by Concomitant Use of an Aintree Intubation Catheter? and a Tube Exchanger].

ABSTRACT

A tracheal tube can be safely replaced by using a tube exchanger (TE). However, only a thin TE can be used to replace a double-lumen tracheal tube (DLT) with a standard single-lumen tracheal tube (SLT). We successfully replaced a DLT to a SLT by inserting an Aintree Intubation Catheter® (AIC) over a TE in two cases. The AIC (diameter 19 Fr, overall length 56 cm) is mainly used for the replacement of various supra- glottic apparatuses using a SLT. In our cases, an AIC with an internal diameter of 4.7 mm was placed over a thin TE with an external diameter of 3.7 mm (11 Fr) to increase the support, and the difference between the SLT with an internal diameter of 7.5 mm and an AIC with an external diameter of 6.3 mm (19 Fr) was decreased, resulting in smooth replacement of the tubes. Even for those cases in which tube replacement might be difficult, acute administration of oxygen could be provided using an AIC with a larger internal lumenthan TE. In conclusion, replacement of a DLT with a SLT i safe and useful through the concomitant use of an AI( and a TE.