Airway Management ; methods ; Algorithms ; Humans ; Patient Safety

Airway Management ; methods ; Algorithms ; Humans ; Patient Safety

Adult ; Airway Management ; methods ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Spine ; surgery

The excess fatty tissues on the head, neck, thorax, and abdomen of morbid obese patients can impede the patency of the upper airway and impair lung functions. Meanwhile, these patients often have comorbidities such as obstructive sleep apnea, hypoventilation syndrome, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and asthma, which may result in difficult airway, intraoperative hypoventilation, and postoperative respiratory depression. Therefore, perioperative airway management for morbid obese patients may pose a big challenge to anesthesiologists. Anesthesiologists should know well about the pathophysiological features of respiratory system and grasp rational management principles, so as to improve the safety and effectiveness of perioperative airway management and optimize the clinical prognosis.
Airway Management ; Anesthesia ; methods ; Humans ; Obesity ; surgery ; Perioperative Care

In cases of multiple facial trauma and other specific cases, the anesthesiologist may be asked to convert an oral endotracheal tube to a nasal endotracheal tube or vice versa. Conventionally, the patient is simply extubated and the endotracheal tube is re-inserted along either the oral or nasal route. However, the task of airway management can become difficult due to surgical trauma or worsening of the airway condition. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy was considered a novel method of airway conversion but this method is not useful when there are secretions and bleeding in the airway, or if the anesthesiologist is inexperienced in using this device. We report a successful airway conversion under the aid of both, a fiberoptic bronchoscope and a C-MAC video laryngoscope.
Airway Management ; Bronchoscopes* ; Bronchoscopy ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; Laryngoscopes* ; Methods

The acutely obstructed airway is a medical emergency that can potentially result in serious morbidity and mortality. Apart from the latest advancements in anaesthetic techniques, equipment and drugs, publications relevant to our topic, including the United Kingdom's 4th National Audit Project on major airway complications in 2011 and the updated American Society of Anesthesiologists' difficult airway algorithm of 2013, have recently been published. The former contained many reports of adverse events associated with the management of acute airway obstruction. By analysing the data and concepts from these two publications, this review article provides an update on management techniques for the acutely obstructed airway. We discuss the principles and factors relevant to the decision-making process in formulating a logical management plan.
Acute Disease ; Airway Management ; methods ; Airway Obstruction ; therapy ; Anesthesia ; methods ; Anesthetics ; therapeutic use ; Humans

Airway difficulties are a major concern for anesthesiologists. Even though fiberoptic intubation is the generally accepted method for management of difficult airways, it is not without disadvantages-requires patient cooperation, and cannot be performed on soiled airway or upper airways with pre-existing narrowing pathology. Additionally, fiberoptic bronchoscopy is not available at every medical institution. In this case, we encountered difficult airway management in a 71-year-old man with a high Mallampati grade and a thick neck who had undergone urologic surgery. Several attempts, including a bronchoscope-guided intubation, were unsuccessful. Finally, blind nasal intubation was successful while the patient's neck was flexed and the tracheal cartilage was gently pressed down. We suggest that blind nasal intubation is a helpful alternative in difficult airway management and it can be a lifesaving technique in emergencies. Additionally, its simplicity makes it a less expensive option when advanced airway technology (fiberoptic bronchoscopy) is unavailable.
Aged ; Airway Management ; Bronchoscopy ; Cartilage ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Intubation* ; Methods ; Neck ; Pathology ; Patient Compliance ; Soil

Airway difficulties are a major concern for anesthesiologists. Even though fiberoptic intubation is the generally accepted method for management of difficult airways, it is not without disadvantages-requires patient cooperation, and cannot be performed on soiled airway or upper airways with pre-existing narrowing pathology. Additionally, fiberoptic bronchoscopy is not available at every medical institution. In this case, we encountered difficult airway management in a 71-year-old man with a high Mallampati grade and a thick neck who had undergone urologic surgery. Several attempts, including a bronchoscope-guided intubation, were unsuccessful. Finally, blind nasal intubation was successful while the patient's neck was flexed and the tracheal cartilage was gently pressed down. We suggest that blind nasal intubation is a helpful alternative in difficult airway management and it can be a lifesaving technique in emergencies. Additionally, its simplicity makes it a less expensive option when advanced airway technology (fiberoptic bronchoscopy) is unavailable.
Aged ; Airway Management ; Bronchoscopy ; Cartilage ; Emergencies ; Humans ; Intubation* ; Methods ; Neck ; Pathology ; Patient Compliance ; Soil

PURPOSE: The laryngeal mask airway (LMA) is a supraglottic airway device designed to seal around the laryngeal inlet. A controlled study was designed to compare the effectiveness and complications in inserting the LMA when the cuff is fully deflated and partially inflated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I or II 172 female patients scheduled for gynecologic procedures were included in this study. Patients were randomly allocated into one of the two groups; fully deflated (n=86) and partially inflated group (n=86). A size #4 LMA was inserted. The number of attempts, time taken for successful insertion, grade of leak, grade of fiberoptic view, and complications were evaluated. RESULTS: All 172 patients completed the study protocol. The number of attempts, time taken for successful insertion, and grade of leak were not significantly different between the two groups. The grade of fiberoptic view and complications were lower in the fully deflated group. CONCLUSION: The fully deflated method is more accurate and safe because of better fiberoptic view and lesser complications than the partially inflated group.
Adult ; Airway Management/adverse effects/instrumentation/*methods ; Female ; Humans ; Laryngeal Masks/*adverse effects ; Middle Aged

OBJECTIVES: Airway management in patients with panfacial trauma is complicated. In addition to involving facial lesions, such trauma compromises the airway, and the use of intermaxillary fixation makes it difficult to secure ventilation by usual approaches (nasotracheal or endotracheal intubation). Submental airway derivation is an alternative to tracheostomy and nasotracheal intubation, allowing a permeable airway with minimal complications in complex patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a descriptive, retrospective study based on a review of medical records of all patients with facial trauma from January 2003 to May 2015. In total, 31 patients with complex factures requiring submental airway derivation were included. No complications such as bleeding, infection, vascular, glandular, or nervous lesions were presented in any of the patients. RESULTS: The use of submental airway derivation is a simple, safe, and easy method to ensure airway management. Moreover, it allows an easier reconstruction. CONCLUSION: Based on these results, we concluded that, if the relevant steps are followed, the use of submental intubation in the treatment of patients with complex facial trauma is a safe and effective option.
Airway Management ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Intubation ; Medical Records ; Methods ; Retrospective Studies ; Tracheostomy ; Ventilation