Precise Placement of Southern Endotracheal Tube Using Fiberoptic Laryngoscopy in Elective Surgeries Under General Anesthesia; [ﮏﯿ ﺒﺮاﭘﺘ ﯿﻓ ﯽ ﺑﺎ اﺳﺘﻔﺎده از ﻻرﻧﮕﻮﺳﮑﻮﭘ ﯽ ﻟﻮﻟﻪ ﺗﺮاﺷﻪ ﺟﻨﻮﺑ ﻖﯿ ﻣﺤﻞ دﻗ ﻦﯿﯿ ﺗﻌ ﯽ ﻋﻤﻮﻣ ﯽ ﻬﻮﺷ ﯿ ﺗﺤﺖ ﺑ ﻮﯿ اﻟﮑﺘ ﯽ در اﻋ]



Nazemroaya B ; Honarmand A ; Timori M
Source: Tehran University Medical Journal Published:2025

Abstract

Background: The Southern endotracheal tube facilitates surgical access and reduces the risk of tube torsion. Fiberoptic laryngoscopy also improves the accuracy and safety of intubation. Accordingly, the present study aimed to determine the precise placement of the Southern endotracheal tube using fiberoptic laryngoscopy in elective surgeries under general anesthesia. Methods: This descriptive-analytical prospective study was conducted between April 2025 and July 2025 at Al-Zahra and Ayatollah Kashani Centers of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Sampling was performed using a convenience method, and the sample size was estimated at 100 patients (candidates for elective head, face, and nasal surgeries), considering possible dropouts. Data were collected using a checklist and analyzed with SPSS version 27. Results: In this study, the demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients showed that the mean age was 38.88 ±15.92 years, and 53were male, and 47were female. The results indicated that body mass index, neck circumference, and the distance from the tip of the endotracheal tube to the anterior teeth differed significantly between male and female patients (P < 0.05). Specifically, Body Mass Index (BMI) was significantly higher in females, neck circumference was significantly greater in males, and the distance from the tube tip to the anterior teeth was longer in males. Additionally, BMI, the distance from the carina to the anterior teeth, and the distance from the endotracheal tube to the carina showed significant differences among different age groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that the depth and placement of the endotracheal tube are influenced by factors such as BMI. These findings are consistent with previous studies emphasizing the importance of individual assessment to optimize airway management. Overall, fiberoptic-guided intubation should be considered the gold standard for achieving accurate tube positioning, minimizing the risk of airway complications, and improving intraoperative safety. It is suggested that future studies focus on developing predictive models for optimal tube depth based on demographic and anatomical variables, and on evaluating the impact of these strategies on postoperative outcomes. Copyright © 2025 Nazemroaya et al. Published by Tehran University of Medical Sciences. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial 4.0 International license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted, provided the original work is properly cited.