TUBES, CATHETERS and DEVICES
…and when they go BAD
A dr Z Lecture
• On the placement (and misplacement) of monitoring and therapeutic devices in the critically ill patient
Radiography
• It is mandatory to check for position and complications after placing ANY device within a patient!
• Radiography is definitive!
• Clinical evaluation is NOT sufficient!
Devices MOVE!
• In critically ill patients, you must RECONFIRM the position of ALL devices at least every day.
Complications HAPPEN!
• Another reason to recheck critically ill patients is to detect complications and correct them.
• The complications can be device-related or not, but they are frequent and can be serious or life threatening.
ICU PATIENTS
• It IS necessary to re-check the position of ALL devices and to look for complications EVERY 24 hours in all ICU patients, by getting a Portable Chest Radiograph.
How Frequent?
• In recent studies, 25% of ICU portable chest radiographs showed an adverse change in position of a device, or a complication that needed intervention!
The Devices
• Nasogastric (NGT) and oral gastric tubes
• Endotracheal tubes (ETT)
• Vascular catheters
• Pacemakers, AICDs, Swan-Ganz catheters, chest tubes, etc.
The Complications
• Pneumothorax
• Pneumomediastinum
• Obstructive atelectasis
• Pleural and mediastinal fluid
• Pulmonary infarction
• Pulmonary edema
• Aspiration and pneumonia
ENDOTRACHEAL TUBES
ETT
Endotracheal Tubes: optimally positioned
• Tip about 5 cm above the carina
• Tip at top 1/3rd of aortic arch
Endotracheal Tube: optimal position
Endotracheal Tubes: mal- positioned
• Too high:
Can damage larynx. Patient can extubate if neck extended
Endotracheal tube: mal- positioned
• Too low:
If patient’s head is flexed, ETT can enter right mainstem bronchus
ETT: malpositioned
• Too low:
The ETT can easily enter the right main stem bronchus. It likes to go there-don’t let it!
ETT: too low
• ETT has entered right main stem bronchus
• ETT has obstructed the left mainstem bronchus and collapse the left lung
• If mechanically ventilated, can cause a right pneumothorax also
Endotracheal Tube: mal-positioned
• Esophageal intubation• An ETT in the
esophagus does not ventilate the patient
• Hypoxia results, with serious or fatal consequences
Esophageal Intubation: signs
• ETT tip below carina• Part of ETT outside
trachea wall• Balloon overlaps
trachea walls• Trachea visible
outside of ETT
Esophageal Intubation
Nasogastric Tubes
NGT
Nasogastric tubes
• Tip of NGT must be at least 10 cm distal to the gastroesophageal junction
• There is a side hole at 7 cm. If above the ge junction, can lead to aspiration
NGT: good position
NGT: the ge junction
NGT: the side hole
NGT: too high
NGT: coiled in pharynx
NGT: in right bronchus
Vascular Catheters and Devices
Catheters and Devices
• Venous access catheters
• Central venous catheters
• Swan-Ganz catheters
• Pacemakers
Vascular Catheters
Placement and Landmarks
Venous Catheter placement
• Ideally, in the superior vena cava
• Acceptable, in the brachio-cephlic veins
• Marginal, in the right atrium
Venous Landmarks
• Subclavian vein: thoracic margin to head of clavicle, where it joins Internal Jugular vein, to become
the Brachio-cephalic vein
Venous Landmarks, upper
• To find the junction of the two brachio-cepahlic veins and so origin of Superior Vena Cava,
Follow the curve of the lower margin of the right First Rib to the right paramidline
Venous Landmarks, upper
Venous Landmarks, lower
• To find the termination of the Superior vena Cava at the Right Atrium, look for the convex lateral curve of the heart
Venous Landmarks, lower
Review: Venous Landmarks
Venous Catheter placement: ideal
Venous catheter placement: marginal
Misplaced catheters
• Venous• Aterial• Extra-vascular
Misplaced catheter: venous
• In addition to too far or not far enough, places to avoid are:
Internal jugular vein
Azygos vein
Internal mammary vein
Misplaced catheter: Internal Jugular vein
Misplaced catheter: Azygos vein
Venous catheter: subclavian artery to aorta
Extra-vascular catheter placement
IV fluid infuses into mediastinum, pleural space, or extrapleural space
Pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum may occur
When in doubt, do CT Chest.
Swan-Ganz Catheter
• Ideal placement is tip in right or left pulmonary artery
• More peripheral placement can cause an infarct if wedged into a small artery
Swan-Ganz Catheter: good placement
Swan-Ganz Catheter: too far
Swan-Ganz Catheter: too far
Pacemakers
• Leads are in the right atrium and right ventricle; some units have a third lead in the coronary sinus. Some are also AICD
Pacemaker
So…..
• Don’t ASSUME a device is OK
• CONFIRM the placement of ALL devices by radiology imaging
• RECONFIRM the position of ALL devices EVERY DAY in critically ill patients
Goodbye…
Copyright 2005
Michael Zucker, MD