ABSTRACT
The gum elastic bougie (GEM) is a 60 cm 15 French-gauge stylette with an angled tip at the distal end. It has 10 cm graduation marks to help verify the position. Tracheal position can be confirmed by: feeling for the clicks as the angled tips rub along the cartilaginous tracheal rings; noting that the tube rotates left or right when entering a main bronchus; or noting that the tube is held up at the bronchial tree (at around 50 cm). None of these occur if the GEB is in the oesophagus. Tube position is confirmed by auscultation and capnography.
