1 Department of Pediatrics, Division of Adolescent Medicine, New York Medical College, Westchester County Medical Center, Valhalla, NY 10595
To the Editor.
The use of illuminated endotracheal tubes as described by Drs Heller and Cotton may represent a significant advance. In addition to decreasing radiation exposures and costs thereof with initial intubations, there may be an additional saving by identifying endotracheal tubes that have come out of position, either riding up too high, or, more commonly, slipping down into a mainstem bronchus. The use of the tube tip light source may also be very helpful in the rapid evaluation of a decompensating neonate by quickly indicating that the cause of poor gases is a change in the endotracheal tube position.