Is there a better right-sided tube for one-lung ventilation? A comparison of the right-sided double-lumen tube with the single-lumen tube with right-sided enclosed bronchial blocker

Anatomic variation between tracheal carina and the take-off of the right upper bronchus often makes the use of a right-sided double-lumen tube (R-DLT) or a single-lumen tube with right-sided enclosed bronchial blocker tube (R-UBB) (Univent(R)) undesirable. This study compared the R-DLT with the R-UBB to determine whether there was any advantage of one over the other during anesthesia with one-lung ventilation (OLV) for right-sided thoracic surgeries. Forty patients requiring right lung deflation were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Twenty patients received a right-sided BronchoCath(R) double-lumen tube, and 20 received a Univent(R) tube with a bronchial blocker placed in the right mainstem bronchus. The following were studied: 1) time required to position each tube until satisfactory placement was achieved; 2) number of times that fiberoptic bronchoscopy was required (including one with the patient supine and one in lateral decubitus position); 3) number of malpositions after initial confirmation of tube placement; 3) time required until lung collapse; 5) surgical exposure; and 6) cost of tubes per case. No differences were found with any of these variables except that the cost of acquisition overall was greater for the R-UBB than for the R-DLT. No right upper lobe collapse was observed in the postoperative period in the chest radiograph in any of the patients studied. We conclude that either tube can be used safely and effectively for right-sided thoracic surgeries that require anesthesia for OLV. Implications: In this study, right-sided double-lumen tubes were compared with the Univent(R) with right-sided bronchial blockers. The results indicate that either tube can be used for right-sided thoracic surgery.