Abstract

Difficult airway is always a nightmare for an anesthesiologist, and even worst is the situation when that endotracheal tube, which has gone in with a lot of difficulty gets blocked. Answer to this situation is Endo Tracheal Tube Exchanger (ETTE), airway exchange catheter or gum elastic bougie. Endotracheal Tube Exchanger (ETTE) or Airway Exchange Catheter (AEC) are thin, long, rigid, hollow tubes that can be left in place as a safety device to be used as a guide for reintubation when inserted through an Endo Tracheal Tube (ETT) before its removal if extubation fails. Alternatively, AEC can be used to insufflate oxygen, monitor end tidal CO2, or jet ventilation [1]. However, fiberoptic endoscopy has been suggested as a better and safer option to exchange ETTs [2-4]. But what to do in an emergency when nothing is available. Thus, we used a Foleys catheter as an airway exchange catheter for changing the endotracheal tube.

Abbreviations:ETTE: Endo Tracheal Tube Exchanger; AEC: Airway Exchange Catheter; ETT: Endo Tracheal Tube; COPD: Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease; FOB: Fiber Optic Bronchoscope; AIC: Aintree Intubating Catheter