H.15D Determining endotracheal tube placement without Xray imaging in intensive care unit patients. 

Intensive care unit patients frequently get intubated when their respiratory status decompensates. During intubation, a small tube called endotracheal tube is introduced into the throat, through the vocal cords, and down the trachea. It is then attached to a ventilator that will assist patients’ breathing. When intubated, providers always ask for an xray of the chest to confirm the endotracheal tube placement. Optimal placement should be in the trachea, around 2 cm above the carina (which is the trachea divides into the 2 main bronchi). Although necessary, this exposes patients to additional doses of x-ray that may eventually harm them, and adds costs to their care. The goal of this project is to develop a device/tool that can determine the placement of the ET tube without the need for a chest x-ray