Ann Oto Rhinol Laryn
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Ann Oto Rhinol Laryn · Sep 1995
Case ReportsJet stylets as an aid for replacement of tracheostomy tubes.
Difficulty in tracheostomy tube replacement can be life-threatening in a patient who is dependent on the tracheostomy for ventilation. The use of jet styles for tracheostomy tube replacement in these patients facilitates the tube exchange and allows for jet ventilation if any difficulty is encountered during the tube replacement. We describe two cases in which jet stylets proved to be helpful during tracheostomy tube replacement and discuss considerations that are important for the safe use of these devices.
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The purpose of this study was to determine if use of an intranasal vasoconstrictor (oxymetazoline) could be used to effectively treat epistaxis, avoiding nasal packing. The charts of 60 patients who presented to the emergency room with the diagnosis of epistaxis and who required medical management were reviewed. ⋯ In only 17% of patients was it necessary to use nasal packing as treatment for epistaxis after an initial attempt with oxymetazoline alone or in combination with silver nitrate failed. These data suggest that pharmacologic management may be adequate in the majority of patients with epistaxis, thus avoiding the need for nasal packing with its associated complications.