Advantages of a new polyvinyl chloride double-lumen tube in thoracic surgery.

Double-lumen endobronchial tubes offer many advantages during thoracic operations. However, technical problems with tube placement and potentially life-threatening complications have discouraged widespread use of standard double-lumen tubes. Some of these problems may be reduced with a new polyvinyl chloride (PVC) double-lumen tube. A total of 214 intubations were undertaken in 204 patients using one of three endobronchial tubes. The cases of these patients were reviewed to determine differences in the complications associated with the Carlens, Robertshaw, and PVC tubes. Complications included unsuccessful or difficult intubation, tube dislodgment, unsatisfactory lung deflation, tube malposition, and hypoxemia. In 8 of 16 intubations with the Carlens tube and in 14 of 62 intubations with the Robertshaw tube, there were complications. In all, 22 of 78 intubations (28%) using conventional double-lumen tubes were complicated compared with 5 of 136 (4%) using the PVC tube. The technical problems and risks of endobronchial intubation were reduced significantly with the PVC double-lumen tube.