Automatic detection of oesophageal intubation based on ventilation pressure waveforms shows high sensitivity and specificity in patients with pulmonary disease.

Background: Unrecognised endotracheal tube misplacement in emergency intubations has a reported incidence of up to 17%. Current detection methods have many limitations restricting their reliability and availability in these circumstances. There is therefore a clinical need for a device that is small enough to be practical in emergency situations and that can detect oesophageal intubation within seconds.