Prospective evaluation of a nonradiographic device for determination of endotracheal tube position in children

A new noninvasive, nonradiographic condotracheal tube (ETT) position detection system (ETT-PDS) for guidance of ETT positioning was evaluated in pediatric ICU patients. The system includes an ETT with a metallic element embedded at a defined distance from the ETT tip, and a portable locator instrument which detects transcutaneously the position of the metallic element. The contribution of ETT-PDS to accuracy of ETT positioning after intubation and before chest radiographs was evaluated in 92 critically ill children. The ETT malposition rates observed on the postintubation chest radiographs were 39.1% after positioning guided by clinical assessment atone, and 19.6% after positioning guided by clinical assessment plus the ETT-PDS (p