MedPath

Correct Endotracheal Tube Position in Newborns Intubated in the Delivery Room

Not Applicable
Conditions
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Intubation Complication
Newborn Morbidity
Interventions
Procedure: ETT insertion depth using international recommendations
Procedure: ETT insertion depth using Spanish recommendations
Registration Number
NCT03770104
Lead Sponsor
Tania Carbayo Jiménez
Brief Summary

The investigators wished to determine whether estimating endotracheal tube (ETT) insertion depth using the formula given by Spanish guidelines recommendations (5,5 plus weight) rather than the depth using the formula given by international guidelines recommendations (6 plus weight) resulted in more correctly positioned endotracheal tube tips in newborns intubated in the delivery room.

Detailed Description

A number of different methods have been used to guide clinicians in estimating the correct depth of insertion of endotracheal tube (ETT) at the time of oral intubation. Minor differences in tube length may lead to intubation of the right main bronchus or extubation. However, none of them has shown to be better than others when compared in the context of randomized clinical trials.

Commonly, clinicians use a formula based on the newborn's weight (Tochen formula: ETT insertion depth (cm)=6 + wt (kg)). While this method is widely used and recommended by international guidelines, it has been found to frequently result in incorrectly positioned tubes, especially in infants \<1000 g in weight in whom it may lead to overestimation of ETT insertion depth.

On the other hand, Spanish Society of Neonatology recommended in their last published guidelines (2017) to use an alternative version formula (ETT insertion depth (cm)=5.5 + wt (kg)), which is commonly used among Spanish neonatal units.

Finally, no studies have been performed in newborns who require oral intubation in the delivery room, since these intubations are usually excluded because infants are not routinely weighed prior to resuscitation and weight can not be rapidly obtained. Given that Obstetric Unit in our hospital is a high standard one with a highly reliable estimated fetal weight in prenatal ultrasound, the investigators will use estimated fetal weight referred on ultrasounds or 50th percentile for gestational age for calculations.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
280
Inclusion Criteria
  • All newborns requiring endotracheal oral intubation in the delivery room after birth.
  • Parents accept deferred informed consent to participate in the study.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Prior to randomization
  • Uncontrolled gestation where both estimated fetal weight and gestational age are unknown.
  • Upper airway anomaly or a lung anomaly that would distort the upper airway anatomy.
  • Infants who require nasotracheal intubation
  • Infants who are intubated in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
  • Post-randomization
  • Newborns who are randomized but finally do not require intubation
  • Intubated newborns who are electively extubated in the delivery room
  • Parents / legal guardian refuse to give consent to participate in the study

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Control Group (6 plus weight)ETT insertion depth using international recommendationsETT insertion depth using international recommendations Patients included in the intervention group arm who are included in the study will be intubated using international recommendations (6 plus weight) to estimate insertion endotracheal tube depth. In addition, every arm will be divided into 2 subgroups depending on gestational age (under 32 weeks or equal/over 32 weeks' gestation).
Intervention Group (5.5 plus weight)ETT insertion depth using Spanish recommendationsETT insertion depth using Spanish recommendations Patients included in the intervention group arm who are included in the study will be intubated using Spanish recommendations (5.5 plus weight) to estimate insertion endotracheal tube depth. In addition, every arm will be divided into 2 subgroups depending on gestational age (under 32 weeks or equal/over 32 weeks' gestation).
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Frequency of correct endotracheal tube (ETT) position1 hour

Correct ETT position, that is, tip between the upper border of the first thoracic vertebra (T1) and the lower border of the second thoracic vertebra (T2) on a chest X-ray as determined by one pediatric radiologist masked to group assignment.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Number of intubation attempts in the delivery room2 days

Number of intubation attempts in the delivery room by healthcare professionals

Number of accidental extubations prior to chest X-ray2 days

Number of accidental extubations prior to chest X-ray confirmation of ETT position

Professional healthcare sensation about correct or incorrect ETT position1 day

Professional healthcare sensation about correct or incorrect ETT position, before confirmation with Chest X-ray confirmation

Frequency of ETT repositioning prior and after chest X-ray2 days

ETT repositioning prior and after chest X-ray

Frequency of incorrect ETT position2 days

Incorrect ETT position (too low or too high)

Oxygen therapy at 28 days1 month

Oxygen therapy at 28 days

Oxygen therapy at 36 weeks postmenstrual age3 months

Oxygen therapy at 36 weeks postmenstrual age

Frequency of complications secondary to incorrect ETT position7 days

Complications secondary to incorrect ETT position (air leak, unplanned extubation, atelectasis)

Duration of ventilation3 months

Duration of ventilation in days

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre. Neonatology Department.

🇪🇸

Madrid, Spain

© Copyright 2025. All Rights Reserved by MedPath