Idea Exchange: Secure ET tubes by adding a little tackiness to your surgical table

I have found that the rebreathing tubes on anesthesia machines are often too heavy for small patients, creating unwanted tension on the endotracheal tube. Occasionally, the tubes are bumped or fall off the table, and if they are not tied on properly, they can pull out the endotracheal tube prematurely. To solve this problem, I loop Vetwrap (3M) around my surgical table and run the tubes under the wrap. The wrap does not affect the table and is tacky enough to hold the tubes in place and prevent sliding.

Jason Chudy

Ada, Mich.