PURPOSE To examine the history of pediatric endotracheal intubation and the issues surrounding the change from uncuffed endotracheal tubes to cuffed endotracheal tubes, including pediatric airway anatomy, endotracheal tube design, complications, and safety concerns. METHOD Review of the literature. CONCLUSIONS Although the use of cuffed endotracheal tubes in infants and children remains a t...

Editor—The large randomized controlled trial of cuffed or non-cuffed tracheal tubes in small children demonstrated that experienced practitioners using exemplary (as opposed to standard) technique had a similar incidence of post-extubation stridor with either tube, and fewer repeat intubations with the cuffed tubes. 1 In the accompanying editorial, 2 it is proposed that paediatric anaesthetists...

Dear Editor, A 57-year-old man presented for suspension microlaryngoscopy and biopsy of a laryngeal lesion that was mildly obstructive. After induction of general anaesthesia, a standard midline approach of glideScope laryngoscopy provided good laryngeal exposure. A junior anaesthesiologist made a failed attempt to introduce a 5.0-mm internal diameter cuffed microlaryngeal tracheal (MlT) tube w...