An ideally placed tracheal tube should have the cuff beyond the vocal cords and the immediate sub-glottic area, with the tip of the tube midway between the vocal cords and the carina. In an adult male, the depth of the tracheal tube is usually around 23 cm at the lips. In an adult female, the depth is 21 cm at the lips.

Question: If a tracheal tube is inserted too far, which side is it more likely to enter and which areas of the lung are likely to collapse?

Answer

An ideally placed tracheal tube should have the cuff beyond the vocal cords and the immediate sub-glottic area, with the tip of the tube midway between the vocal cords and the carina. In an adult male, the depth of the tracheal tube is usually around 23 cm at the lips. In an adult female, the depth is 21 cm at the lips.

Question: If a tracheal tube is inserted too far, which side is it more likely to enter and which areas of the lung are likely to collapse?

Answer: It is more likely to go down the right main bronchus.

The whole left lung and right upper lobe are prone to collapse (RUL bronchus is just past the carina).

Note: Always auscultate to check for breath sounds bilaterally.