Accurate placement of double-lumen endobronchial tube(DLT) is essential for successful one-lung anesthesia. This study was performed to evaluate the effectiveness of bronchial cuff inflation technique for accurate placement of DLT.

One hundred and five patients undergoing elective thoracotomy which required the use of DLTs were studied. Following induction of anesthesia, the tip of the left-sided DLT was advanced just past the vocal cords, the stylet in the endobronchial lumen was removed and the tube was rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise. After rotation of DLT, the bronchial cuff was inflated with air(4-6 ml) and the tube was advanced until resistance to further passage was encountered. After deflating of the bronchial cuff, the tube was advanced 2 cm more distally. The fiberoptic bronchoscopy was then introduced into the tracheal lumen of the tube and the tube's position was evaluated.

In the 100 patients out of 105 patients, the tube was inserted into the left side bronchus correctly. In the 77 patients(77 %) out of 100 patients, the position of DLTs was evaluated as ideally placed. In the 16 patients(16 %), the tube was evaluated as too deeply inserted into the appropriate bronchus and in the other 7 patients, the tube was too shallow. But only one patient needed repositioning.

Bronchial cuff inflation technique may be useful for accurate placement of DLT for the one-lung anesthesia in the situation without fiberoptic bronchoscope.