Articles: intubation.
-
Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Aug 1983
The anatomical shape of the airway during endotracheal intubation.
The shape of the airway during endotracheal intubation was studied from lateral radiographs of patients lying supine on the operating table, with the neck in the normal, extended and flexed position. A computer programme calculated the anterior contour of the tube and the posterior contour of the airway as mean values of the original contours on the radiographs. The mean configuration of the airway in intubated individuals was then presented in a standard coordinate system. ⋯ Our results also showed that patients were routinely placed on the operating table with the head in an unnecessarily extended position. Such a position may partly obstruct the blood flow in the vertebral arteries. An improvement in operating table design is desirable to facilitate optimal positioning of the patient's head during routine surgery.
-
The employment of a ventilator adds flexibility to the treatment of hypoventilation and hypoxia in the emergency department. Understanding the advantages of spontaneous respiration, the effects of positive pressure ventilation and the use of CMV, IMV, and PEEP allows for optimal care for emergency respiratory problems.
-
Anaesth Intensive Care · Aug 1983
Case ReportsAnaesthetic implications of the mucopolysaccharidoses: a fifteen-year experience in a children's hospital.
Patients suffering from the mucopolysaccharidoses, most commonly Hurler's syndrome, present special problems in anaesthesia. A retrospective review of the anaesthetic management of such patients over fifteen years revealed a high incidence of airway problems. Two case histories illustrating these difficulties are presented.
-
A scheme for teaching nasotracheal intubation with the aid of fibreoptic instruments on models and live patients is described and evaluated. Twelve trainees completed 74 out of 75 intubations successfully on sedated patients to the satisfaction of themselves, their patients and their instructors.