Abstract No.: ABS2522: Comparison of Age-Based Versus Length-Based Method Using BroselowTape for Estimating Endotracheal Tube Size in Indian Children

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Using correct size ETT for paediatric intubation is important for effective ventilation.There is no single formula for estimating accurate size endotracheal tube (ETT) despite various studies. The aim of the present study wasto compare two different methods; age-based andlength-based (using Broselow tape) for estimating accurate size METHODS: 60 patients of either gender between 1”and6years age, undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia requiring endotracheal intubation with uncuffed endotracheal tube(ETT) were enroled in this study. ETT size was selected by senior anaesthesiologist as per their discretion. The ETT used was deemed to be a correct fit based on minimal air leak with peakinspiratory pressure 15cmof H2O, expired tidal volume>7 ml/kg, bilateral equal breath sounds, square wave capnograph, ETTpassing smoothly through the glottis and respiratory rate according to child’s age. The actual ETT used was compared with that predicted by age and length of the child (using Broselow tape). RESULTS: Each method was tested for accuracy at predicting clinically accepted ETT size by subtracting ETT size used for each patient from size predicted by each method. Our study revealed that Broselow tape has overall correct predictability rate of 53.3% whereas age based formula has 46.6%. The ETT used was found to correlate with length (p=0.004, p<0.005 being significant). CONCLUSION: Length of child has good correlation with size of ETT to be used in Indian children. Broselow tape is an effective tool to predict ETT size and is a simple,accurate aid especially where age and weight are unknown.