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Book

Double-Lumen Endobronchial Tubes

Vaibhav Bora  1 , Stacy M. Kritzmire  2 , Mary E. Arthur  3
In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2025 Jan.
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Affiliations
Book

Double-Lumen Endobronchial Tubes

Vaibhav Bora et al.

Excerpt

A double-lumen tube (DLT) is an endotracheal tube designed to isolate the lungs anatomically and physiologically. Double-lumen tubes (DLTs) are the most commonly used tubes to provide independent ventilation for each lung. One-lung ventilation (OLV) or lung isolation is the mechanical and functional separation of the 2 lungs to allow selective ventilation of only one lung. The other lung that is not being ventilated passively deflates or is displaced by the surgeon to facilitate surgical exposure for non-cardiac operations in the chest such as thoracic, esophageal, aortic and spine procedures. It can also be used during minimally invasive cardiac surgery and in disease processes affecting 1 lung to prevent soiling from the contralateral lung. DLTs also allows bronchial toilet without interrupting ventilation.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: Vaibhav Bora declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Stacy Kritzmire declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

Disclosure: Mary Arthur declares no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies.

References

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