Anesthesia progress
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Twenty-four of the thirty-two German universities that have dental schools replied to a questionnaire survey that showed that all the schools responding held lectures on the topic "Medical Emergencies" although this is not mandatory for registration. All of the universities in the former East Germany also offered practical training sessions as part of the curriculum. The proportion of West German universities offering such courses is only 60%. The basic essentials of the theory and practice of emergency medicine should only be taught in courses with mandatory participation.
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Anesthesia progress · Jan 1996
Increased success of blind nasotracheal intubation through the use of nasogastric tubes as a guide.
We were able to improve the success rate of blind nasotracheal intubation by using nasogastric tubes as a guide during intubation, first, for passing the endotracheal tube through the nasal cavity, and second, passing it from the pharynx to the larynx. By adding both sedation by modified neuroleptanalgesia (NLA) and topical and transtracheal administration of lidocaine, our technique became safer and smoother. ⋯ The Rüsh spiral tube was thought to be the most suited to this form of intubation because of the 90 degrees cut of its tip, its high-volume cuff, and its flexibility in all directions. These features are useful for hearing breath sounds, raising the tip of the tube by inflation of the cuff, and advancing the tube in a turning motion.
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Anesthesia progress · Jan 1996
Case ReportsAnesthetic considerations of two sisters with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome.
Anesthetic considerations of 21-mo-old and 4-yr-old sisters with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome during surgical repair of cleft palate and reduction of macroglossia are presented and discussed. This syndrome is characterized by exomphalos, macroglossia, gigantism, hypoglycemia in infancy, and many other clinical features. This syndrome is also known as exomphalos, macroglossia, and gigantism (EMG) syndrome. ⋯ Careful intraoperative plasma glucose monitoring is particularly important to prevent the neurologic sequelae of unrecognized hypoglycemia. It is expected that airway management would be complicated by the macroglossia, which might cause difficult bag/mask ventilation and endotracheal intubation following the induction of anesthesia and muscle paralysis, so preparations for airway difficulty (e.g., awake vocal cord inspection) should be considered before induction. A nasopharyngeal airway is useful in relieving postoperative airway obstruction.
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Anesthesia progress · Jan 1996
Case ReportsProlonged diplopia following a mandibular block injection.
A case is presented in which a 14-yr-old girl developed diplopia after injection of the local anesthetic Xylotox E 80 A (2% lidocaine with 1:80,000 epinephrine). Since the complication had a relatively slow onset and lasted for 24 hr, the commonly suggested explanations based on vascular, lymphatic, and neural route theories do not adequately fit the observations. No treatment, other than reassurance, was necessary, and the patient recovered fully.
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Anesthesia progress · Jan 1995
Biography Historical ArticleLessons from history: Horace Wells and the moral features of clinical contexts.
Horace Wells first used nitrous oxide for anesthetic purposes in December 1844. Although his life ended tragically in 1848--and before he received official recognition for his work--Wells' significance in the history of anesthesiology is now firmly established. ⋯ Wells' story provides an example of how the moral dimensions of actions taken in the health care setting can be understood only in the context of the individual, clinical, institutional, and political arenas in which they occur. Resolving ethical conflicts and dilemmas thus requires clinicians to pay attention to such factors as personal, professional, institutional, and broader social, political, and economic considerations that influence what one believes to be "best" in given circumstances.