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Customising the length of the Montgomery T-tube whilst retaining a bevelled edge

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 March 2015

A Gan*
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatric Otolaryngology, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, UK
V Varadarajan
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatric Otolaryngology, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, UK
M P Rothera
Affiliation:
Department of Paediatric Otolaryngology, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Mr Alex Gan, Department of Paediatric Otolaryngology, Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9WL, UK Fax: 0161 701 5462 E-mail: alexgck@gmail.com

Abstract

Background:

The Montgomery T-tube is used in a number of conditions that require safe tracheal stenting. Specific lengths of T-tube limbs are occasionally needed in patients with complex airway anatomy or differing neck proportions; this requires customisation of the T-tube limbs. This is done either by pre-ordering customised T-tubes from the manufacturer (which needs to be planned ahead of time) or using a tube cutter in the operating theatre. However, the latter does not provide a ‘factory like’ bevelled edge when shortened, which increases the risk of mucosal trauma and granulation formation.

Objective:

This paper reports a novel technique for customising the length of existing Montgomery T-tubes, with preservation of the bevelled edges. This technique can be easily performed with basic equipment available in operating theatres.

Type
Short Communication
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2015 

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References

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