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Objective This study aimed to compare the clinical endotracheal tube (ETT) depth after initial stabilization of infants with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) to weight and gestational age-based depth estimates.

Study Design This retrospective analysis included 58 inborn infants with left-sided CDH. We compared a standard anatomic ETT depth calculated from initial chest radiographs and the clinical depth of the ETT after adjustments to predicted depths using weight and gestational age-based estimates.

Results The standard anatomic depth was deeper than age (standard deviation 1.29 ± 1.15 cm, p < 0.001) and weight-based (standard deviation 0.59 ± 0.95 cm, p < 0.001) estimates. The clinical ETT depth was also deeper than age (standard deviation 1.01 ± 0.77 cm, p < 0.001) and weight-based (standard deviation 0.26 ± 0.50 cm, p < 0.001) estimates.

Conclusion Established strategies to predict ETT depth underestimate the ideal depth in infants with left-sided CDH. These data suggest utilizing caution during initial ETT placement based on standard depth estimates for patients with CDH.

Key Points

CDH patients present unique stabilization challenges.

Standard ETT depth estimates are too shallow.

Resuscitation teams should cautiously choose ETT depth.

Keywords congenital diaphragmatic hernia - endotracheal tube - intubation - neonate - resuscitation Publication History

Received: 10 May 2024

Accepted: 19 July 2024

Accepted Manuscript online:
22 July 2024

Article published online:
13 August 2024

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