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Reinforced ETT Advantage — FRCA Final MCQ

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EasyAirway ManagementReinforced ETT AdvantageFRCA Final

A 35-year-old woman (ASA I, 60 kg) is having an elective tonsillectomy. The ENT surgeon requests a reinforced (armoured/flexometallic) endotracheal tube. What is the main advantage of a reinforced ETT?

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Correct answer: A — Resistant to kinking when the neck is flexed or the tube is compressed by surgical instruments

Reinforced (armoured/flexometallic) ETTs contain a wire coil embedded in the wall, making them highly resistant to kinking or compression. This is advantageous when: (1) the neck is flexed (e.g., posterior fossa surgery), (2) surgical instruments may compress the tube (e.g., tonsillectomy, thyroid surgery), (3) the tube follows a curved path (e.g., nasal intubation). Disadvantages: the tube cannot be cut to length (no standard markings), if bitten the wire deforms and the tube permanently occludes (unlike standard tubes which spring back), and they are more difficult to insert without a stylet.

Reference: RCOA – 2023 – Airway equipment; AAGBI – 2019 – Endotracheal tube selection