JAMA otolaryngology-- head & neck surgery
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JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Jan 2014
Treatment of severe porcine tracheomalacia with a 3-dimensionally printed, bioresorbable, external airway splint.
The study demonstrates use of a novel intervention for severe tracheobronchomalacia (TBM). ⋯ A multidisciplinary effort producing a computer-aided designed, computer-aided manufactured bioresorbable tracheobronchial splint was tested in a porcine model of severe TBM and was found to extend survival time. Mortality in the splinted group was ascribed to the TBM model based on the lack of respiratory distress in splinted pigs, long-term survival in animals implanted with the splint without TBM, and necropsy findings.
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JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg · Jan 2014
Development of the Connecticut Airway Risk Evaluation (CARE) system to improve handoff communication in pediatric patients with tracheotomy.
National attention has focused on the importance of handoffs in medicine. Our practice during airway patient handoffs is to communicate a patient-specific emergency plan for airway reestablishment; patients who are not intubatable by standard means are at higher risk for failure. There is currently no standard classification system describing airway risk in tracheotomized patients. ⋯ We propose an airway risk classification system for tracheotomized patients, CARE, that has high interrater reliability and is easy to use and interpret. As medical providers and national organizations place more focus on improvements in interprovider communication, the creation of an airway handoff tool is integral to improving patient safety and airway management strategies following tracheotomy complications.