Intubation

From endotracheal tubes without balloons and fixations to spatulas with guiding channels or complete video laryngoscope sets – our comprehensive range of high-quality intubation products offers you a wide selection of professional emergency equipment. Our sophisticated inventory system ensures very short delivery times, while you also benefit from our unique price-performance ratio.

How Is a Patient Intubated?

Intubation is the insertion of a tube into a patient’s trachea. Before intubation, the patient is sedated, or they may already be unconscious due to surgery or another reason. Fields such as anesthesiology, intensive care medicine, and emergency medicine play a crucial role in this process. Sedation relaxes the patient’s mouth and airways, allowing the epiglottis to become visible at the vallecula epiglottica. Typically, the patient lies on their back in a straight position, and the person performing the intubation stands at the head of the patient. The patient’s mouth is opened slowly and gently, while slight pressure is applied to the tongue to prevent it from blocking the airway. Meanwhile, a device with a light at its tip (a laryngoscope) is inserted into the patient’s mouth and directed toward the throat. The tube is advanced through the oropharynx toward the airway. Once the tube is in the correct position, a small balloon-like structure inside the tube is inflated to secure it in place. The lungs are then auscultated with a stethoscope to verify whether the endotracheal intubation has been successfully performed. Additionally, a chest X-ray is taken to confirm the proper placement of the tube. After successful placement, the entry point of the tube around the mouth is taped to secure it. Sometimes, if surgery is being performed in the oropharyngeal region or there is trauma to this area, the breathing tube may be inserted through the nose instead of the mouth—this is called nasal intubation. During nasal intubation, a nasotracheal tube is inserted through the nose, passed down the throat, and into the upper airway. This method helps keep the mouth free for procedures and facilitates operations on the mouth or nose. However, nasal intubation is less commonly used overall. The intubation procedure for children is similar to that for adults, with the main difference being the smaller size of the equipment used. Since children’s airways are narrower, endotracheal intubation should be performed with greater care and sensitivity. In some cases, the healthcare provider performing the procedure monitors the process on a screen to facilitate accurate placement. In newborns and infants, nasal intubation is often preferred due to their smaller anatomical structures and the need to keep the mouth unobstructed.

When Is Endotracheal Intubation Performed?

Endotracheal intubation is performed when a patient cannot protect their airway, cannot breathe independently, or both. Patients may be under anesthesia if they are unable to breathe on their own during surgery. Factors such as anesthesiology, intensive care medicine, emergency medicine, and artificial ventilation through the upper airways depend on the patient’s current health status and require professional assessment by an experienced intensive care specialist. In cases of respiratory distress, endotracheal intubation can be performed using a Wendl tube or a Guedel tube. Patients under general anesthesia may require endotracheal intubation because anesthetic agents can paralyze all muscles in the body, including the diaphragm, making spontaneous breathing impossible without mechanical ventilation. Once the patient can breathe on their own and their blood is adequately oxygenated, they are extubated—meaning the intubation procedure is ended, and the breathing tube is removed. If the patient’s condition does not improve and they continue to have difficulty breathing on their own, they may remain connected to a ventilator for a longer period. After most surgeries, patients are given medication to help them wake up from anesthesia, after which they begin breathing independently. However, for certain surgical procedures, such as open-heart surgery, reversal anesthesia drugs may not be used, and the patient wakes up naturally. These patients might need to remain on mechanical ventilation until they are fully awake, capable of protecting their airways, and able to breathe on their own. In some cases, endotracheal intubation is performed due to respiratory failure. This can occur when the lungs are severely damaged, or the patient suffers from a serious condition such as pneumonia. The reasons for intubation are diverse and depend on the patient’s underlying health condition.