The Papworth BiVent tube: a feasibility study of a novel double-lumen endotracheal tube and bronchial blocker in human cadavers.

BACKGROUND: A novel double-lumen endotracheal tube, the Papworth BiVent tube, has been designed to allow the rapid passage of a blocker into either main bronchus, without fibreoptic endoscopic guidance.

METHODS: The feasibility of lung isolation and one-lung ventilation (OLV) in human cadavers is examined, along with displacement of the bronchus blocker during head and neck movement.

RESULTS: Cadaveric endotracheal intubation with the Papworth BiVent tube was straightforward and comparable with intubation with a conventional single-lumen tube (SLT). Reliable lung isolation was achieved considerably faster using the Papworth BiVent tube than with a bronchoscopically guided bronchial blocker through an SLT (mean 7.75 s BiVent tube vs 128.2 s SLT). The Papworth BiVent tube also prevented displacement of the blocker from its position in the bronchus on head movement.

CONCLUSIONS: This study in human cadavers has shown that it is feasible to use the Papworth BiVent tube to attain rapid and secure lung isolation for OLV. Further work is required in clinical settings.