MediAI

  Keywords: Malpositioned endotracheal tube, endotracheal tube misplacement, endotracheal tube complications, chest X-ray interpretation, ICU airway management Introduction A malpositioned endotracheal tube (ETT) represents one of the most critical and potentially fatal complications in airway management, particularly in emergency medicine, anesthesia, and intensive care unit (ICU) settings. Despite advances in airway devices, image guidance, and monitoring technologies, endotracheal tube misplacement remains a frequent cause of hypoxia, atelectasis, ventilator-associated lung injury, and sudden clinical deterioration . Radiologic evaluation, especially portable chest X-ray (CXR) , continues to serve as the cornerstone of ETT position confirmation . Misplacement of the ETT into the right main bronchus is the most common form of malpositioning, often resulting in left lung collapse and complete hemithorax opacification (“white-out”) , which may mimic other catastrophic thoracic p...