Journal of neurosurgical anesthesiology
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J Neurosurg Anesthesiol · Jul 2012
Awake fiberoptic intubation and self-positioning in patients at risk of secondary cervical injury: a pilot study.
This study was designed to document the feasibility of self-positioning after awake fiberoptic intubation of the trachea using primarily effective topical anesthesia rather than sedation. ⋯ Our study demonstrates that awake fiberoptic intubation and patient self-positioning was feasible in this sample of patients at risk of secondary cervical injury. This technique may extend the opportunity of continuous neurological monitoring in patients with a risk of position-related cervical injury, especially where electrophysiological monitoring is not possible or is unavailable.