Use of a Fogarty Catheter as a Bronchial Blocker through a Single-lumen Endotracheal Tube in Patients with Subglottic Stenosis

Abstract

One-lung ventilation can be achieved with a double-lumen tube or a bronchial blocker. However, the larger outer diameters of double-lumen or Univent tubes may prevent their passage through an area of subglottic stenosiss. We present five cases of subglottic stenosis in which a Fogarty catheter was used as a bronchial blocker through a single-lumen endotracheal tube. The outer diameters of a double-lumen tube, Univent tube and single-lumen tube were compared. Despite special equipment designed for one-lung ventilation, the use of a bronchial blocker through a single-lumen tube, which has the thinnest available wall thickness, seems to be one of the most effective and safest ways of achieving one-lung ventilation in patients with subglottic stenosis or narrowing.