Anaesthesia
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Two groups of adult patients (55 each) were visited pre-operatively by an anaesthetist who was dressed either formally or casually. Their response to this visit, their opinions regarding anaesthetists and their knowledge of anaesthetic work were elicited afterwards by means of a questionnaire. ⋯ The anaesthetist was awarded a high level of prestige and the length of his/her training was recognised to be comparable to that of other professionals; 81.8% of patients thought that anaesthetists held a medical degree but only 35.4% thought that they worked in the intensive care unit. Patients expressed a preference for doctors to wear name tags, white coats and short hair but disapproved of clogs, jeans, trainers and earrings.
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Twenty patients undergoing elective procedures on the larynx and pharynx were anaesthetised using a propofol infusion and a bolus of vecuronium. High frequency jet ventilation was employed via a 7 French gauge catheter, with a second catheter being used to measure expired carbon dioxide levels. The Bullard laryngoscope was compared with the Macintosh instrument both for visualising the larynx and subsequently inserting a catheter. ⋯ Using the Bullard laryngoscope, intubation was possible in all 20 patients, in a mean time of 22 (6.8) s. Using the Macintosh laryngoscope only 16 patients could be intubated and this took significantly longer at 34 (18.3) s (p < 0.05). The Bullard laryngoscope and high frequency jet ventilation offer a reliable method of intubating and anaesthetising patients with upper airways pathology and further benefits may accrue in the recovery period.