Comparision between ultrasound based Technique and age based formula in prediction Of appropriate endotracheal tube size in Children –“one year hospital based Randomised control study

Abstract

Background - The most challenging task an anesthesiologists need to perform is in evaluation and securing of the paediatric airway. The aims of the study were to compare prediction of appropriate size endotracheal tube and the number of endo tracheal tube changes between age based formula and ultrasound based technique in children undergoing general anaesthesia. Methods - 50 subjects of either gender aged between 1-8 years, undergoing various elective surgeries under general anaesthesia requiring endotracheal intubation were enrolled in the study. They were divided into two groups. In one group ETT size was estimated using traditional age based formula. In other group the ETT size was estimated by measuring transverse diameter at the level of cricoid cartilage by ultrasonography. The tracheal tube was considered appropriate if air leak was minimal at10‑20 cm H2O of airway pressure. The inter group continuous variables were compared using suitable tools of statistics like unpaired student’s t test. Two quantitative variables, within a group, were compared using student’s paired t test.