How Does Tube Size Affect Patients’ Experiences of Postoperative Sore Throat and Hoarseness? A Randomised Controlled Blinded Study

Sore throat (POST) and hoarseness (PH) are common complaints after endotracheal intubation (EI). The aim of this study was to investigate whether tube size impacts the experiences of POST and PH after EI in patients undergoing elective surgery, as well as to document a possible role of gender. This randomised, controlled, blinded study was conducted at Aalborg University Hospital, Thisted, Denmark or North Denmark Regional Hospital, Denmark. A total of 236 patients (53.4% female, mean age 50.9 years (SD 14.0)) were enrolled from the departments of gynaecology, parenchyma and orthopaedics. The patients were randomised to a tube size of 8.0 or 7.0 for males and 7.0 or 6.0 for females. Tube sizes were known to the anaesthesia staff but blinded for patients, researchers and staff at the postoperative care unit. POST and/or PH was reported 30–60 min before anaesthesia, at 30 min and at 2, 5, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h after anaesthesia. Both female and male patients experienced significantly lower levels of POST and PH after intubation with the smallest tube size. This study demonstrates that a smaller size of tube results in a reduction in POST and PH after EI for both male and female patients.

Impact of nasogastric decompression on gastric tube size after McKeown minimally invasive esophagectomy: A retrospective controlled cohort study

Purpose: This retrospective study evaluated the impact of nasogastric decompression (NGD) on gastric tube size to optimize the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery protocol after McKeown minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE). Methods: Overall, 640 patients were divided into two groups according to nasogastric tube (NGT) placement intraoperatively. Using propensity score matching, 203 pairs of individuals were identified for gastric tube size comparisons on postoperative days (PODs) 1 and 5. Results: Gastric tubes were larger in the non-NGD group than the NGD group on POD 1 (vertical distance from the right edge of the gastric tube to the right edge of the thoracic vertebra, 22.2 [0–34.7] vs. 0 [0–22.5] mm, p <0.001). No difference was noted between the groups on POD 5 (18.5 [0–31.7] vs. 18.0 [0–25.4] mm, p =0.070). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that non-NGD was an independent risk factor for gastric tube distention on POD 1. No difference in the incidence of complications (Clavien–Dindo（CD）≥2) (40 (23.0%) vs. 46 (19,8%), p =0.440), pneumonia (CD≥2) (29 [16.8%] vs. 30 [12.9%], p =0.280) or anastomotic leakage (CD≥3) (3 [1.7%] vs. 6 [2.6%], p =0.738) were noted between the without gastric tube distention group and with gastric tube distention group. Conclusion: Intraoperative NGT placement reduces gastric tube distention rates after McKeown MIE on POD 1, but the complications are similar to those of unconventional NGT placement. This finding is based on NGT placement or replacement at the appropriate time postoperatively through bedside chest X-ray examination.

Point of care airway ultrasound to select tracheal tube and determine insertion depth in cleft repair surgery

We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of using airway ultrasonography to select the correct tracheal tube size and insertion depth in pediatric patients who underwent cleft repair surgery as a way to decrease airway complications and adverse events during perioperative periods. Fifty-one patients (age < 28 months) were consecutively divided into conventional (n = 28) and ultrasound (n = 23) groups. Tracheal tube size and insertion depth were determined using the age-based formula and auscultation in the conventional group, whereas using ultrasonographic measurement of subglottic diameter with auscultation and lung ultrasonography in the ultrasound group. We evaluated the initially selected tube size, insertion depth, ventilatory indices, and the incidence of airway complications and adverse events. Tube insertion depth (median [interquartile range]) was significantly greater in the ultrasound group than in the conventional group (13.5 cm [12.5–14.0] vs 13.0 cm [11.8–13.0], P = 0.045). The number of complications and adverse events was significantly higher in the conventional group than in the ultrasound group (32.1% vs 4.3%, P = 0.013). Airway ultrasound application could reduce airway-related complications and adverse events by determining the appropriate tracheal tube size and insertion depth.