Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
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To determine inter-observer reliability of ten preoperative airway assessment tests used for predicting difficult tracheal intubation. ⋯ Many of the preoperative airway tests have only moderate inter-observer reliability. This may provide some insight into why previous research has failed to show that the tests accurately predict difficult tracheal intubation.
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Case Reports
Left superior vena cava: a vascular abnormality discovered following pulmonary artery catheterization.
This report deals with the case of a patient who presented persistence of left superior vena cava (LSVC). This disorder was discovered following placement of a catheter in pulmonary artery via the left subclavian vein. ⋯ A diagnosis of persistent LSVC should be considered whenever there appears to be some obstacle to central venous or pulmonary artery catheterization, especially in patients with congenital heart disease, since this disorder can have important clinical consequences.
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To describe the serum concentrations of ketamine following a clinically relevant dosing schedule during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). ⋯ This dosage regimen maintained general anaesthetic concentrations of ketamine throughout the operative period. These levels should result in brain tissue concentrations in excess of those previously shown to be neuroprotective in animals. Thus we conclude that this infusion regimen would be reasonable to be use in order to assess the potential neuroprotective effects of ketamine in humans undergoing CPB.
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Historical Article
Oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal airways: I (1880-1995).
During the past decade the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) has dominated literature about airways for use during general anaesthesia. The LMA addresses clearly defined clinical objectives. The purpose of this study is to determine whether those objectives were described collectively with reference to earlier airway designs. ⋯ The design of airways has been based on clinical circumstances and perceived requirements of the time. In contemporary anaesthetic practice, distinct clinical situations still occur and there is a role for different device designs. Currently for supraglottic airway management during general anaesthesia, four types of airway should be available: a Guedel airway, nasopharyngeal airway, a laryngeal mask airway, and an airway specifically designed to facilitate blind tracheal intubation.