Bacterial colonisation of previously prepared neonatal endotracheal tubes in the delivery room

Many practitioners use stylets (introducers) when attempting intubation in newborns.1 Endotracheal tubes (ETTs) and stylets are packaged separately as sterile items; to insert the stylet in the lumen of the ETT, both must be opened. We noticed that ETTs which had been prepared with a stylet but not immediately used, were often to be found on delivery room resuscitation trolleys in our hospital. Studies have shown that prepared adult ETTs left in emergency and delivery rooms frequently become colonised …