Endotracheal tube pilot balloon

Case contributed by David Soobin Lee
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Unconscious, intubated in the ED

Patient Data

Age: 55 years
Gender: Male
x-ray

​The pilot balloon tubing is seen projecting at the base of the neck on the left side.

Case Discussion

The pilot balloon is a component of the endotracheal tube (ETT) that contains a spring loaded valve. A syringe can be attached to the pilot balloon to inflate or deflate the cuff of the ETT for securing and removing the ETT, respectively. While not frequently captured on X-ray, it is important to recognize the appearance of the pilot balloon tubing to avoid confusion with other tubes or lines.

Acknowledgment

This case was submitted with supervision and input from:

Dr. Soni C. Chawla, M.D.

Health Sciences Clinical Professor
Department of Radiological Sciences
David Geffen School of Medicine

Attending Pediatric Radiologist.
Olive View - UCLA Medical Center

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