Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
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During difficult airway management, oxygen insufflation through airway-exchange and intubating catheters (AEC/IC) can lead to life-threatening hyperinflation. Ventrain(®) was originally designed to facilitate emergency ventilation using active expiration through short, small-bore cannulas. Herein, we studied its efficacy (oxygenation and ventilation) and safety (avoidance of hyperinflation) in a long, small-bore AEC. ⋯ Ventrain provides rapid reoxygenation and effective ventilation through a small-bore AEC in pigs with an obstructed airway. In clinical emergency situations of obstructed airways, this device may be able to overcome problems of unintentional hyperinflation and high intrapulmonary pressures when ventilating through long, small-bore catheters and could therefore minimize the risks of barotrauma and hemodynamic instability.