The air-leak test is not a good predictor of postextubation adverse events in children undergoing cardiac surgery.

Objective: The air-leak test is recommended as a method of assessing the appropriate size of an uncuffed endotracheal tube (ETT) in children. The authors' primary objective was to determine whether the air-leak test would predict adverse events and reintubations after the removal of the ETT in children who have undergone cardiac surgery.

Design: Prospective, observational, clinical study.