Since the first use of the flexible fibreoptic bronchoscope, a plethora of new airway equipment has become available. It is essential for clinicians to understand the role and limitations of the available equipment to make appropriate choices. The recent 4th National Audit Project conducted in the United Kingdom found that poor judgement with inappropriate choice of equipment was a contributory factor in airway morbidity and mortality. Given the many modern airway adjuncts that are available, we aimed to define the role of flexible fibreoptic intubation in decision-making and management of anticipated and unanticipated difficult airways. We also reviewed the recent literature regarding the role of flexible fibreoptic intubation in specific patient groups who may present with difficult intubation, and concluded that the flexible fibrescope maintains its important role in difficult airway management.
Airway Management ; methods ; Airway Obstruction ; complications ; Anesthesia ; methods ; Bronchoscopy ; methods ; Equipment Design ; Fiber Optic Technology ; Humans ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; instrumentation ; methods ; Laryngoscopes ; Manikins ; Obesity ; complications ; Respiratory System ; Skull Fractures ; complications

OBJECTIVE: To develop a fiber Raman endoscopic probe that can be integrated in a gastroscope and evaluate its value in the diagnosis of gastric cancer. METHODS: The Raman spectra of gastric cancer tissues and normal tissues were obtained using the fiber Raman endoscopic probe and confocal microRaman spectroscopy. After preprocessing with smoothing, baseline elimination and normalization, the spectroscopic data were analyzed by the principle component analyses combined with stechiometry. Based on the pathological results, the diagnostic accuracy, sensitiveness and specificity of Raman spectroscopy combined with stechiometry were evaluated. RESULTS: The fiber Raman endoscopic probe and microRaman spectroscopy revealed significantly different Raman spectra between gastric cancer tissues and normal tissues. The diagnostic accuracy, sensitiveness and specificity of the fiber Raman endoscopic probe was 80.56%, 88.89%, and 84.72% for gastric cancer, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The fiber Raman endoscopic probe combined with stechiometry provides an effective modality for the diagnosis of gastric cancer and can well distinguish gastric cancer tissue from normal gastric tissues.
Endoscopy ; Fiber Optic Technology ; Humans ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Spectrum Analysis, Raman ; Stomach Neoplasms

OBJECTIVETo study the efficacy of early treatment via fiber bronchoscope in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP) complicated by airway mucus obstruction.

METHODSAccording to the time from admission to the treatment via fiber bronchoscope, the children with MPP who were found to have airway mucus obstruction under a fiber bronchoscope were randomly divided into early intervention group (≤3 days; n=40) and late intervention group (>3 days; n=56). The two groups were compared in terms of clinical data and imaging recovery.The children were followed for 1-3 months.

RESULTSOf the 96 children, 38 were found to have the formation of plastic bronchial tree, among whom 10 were in the early intervention group and 28 were in the late intervention group (P=0.01). Compared with the late intervention group, the early intervention group had a shorter duration of fever, length of hospital stay, and time to the recovery of white blood cell count and C-reactive protein (P<0.05), as well as a higher atelectasis resolution rate (P<0.05). Compared with the late intervention group, the early intervention group had a higher percentage of children with a ≥ 60% absorbed area of pulmonary consolidation at discharge. After 3 months of follow-up, the early intervention group had a higher percentage of children with a ≥ 90% absorbed area of pulmonary consolidation than the late intervention group (80% vs 55%; P=0.01), and the early intervention group had a lower incidence rate of atelectasis than the late intervention group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONSEarly treatment via fiber bronchoscope can shorten the course of the disease and reduce complications and sequelae in MPP children with airway mucus obstruction.

Airway Obstruction ; therapy ; Bronchoscopes ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Female ; Fiber Optic Technology ; Humans ; Male ; Mucus ; Pneumonia, Mycoplasma ; complications

Anesthesia ; Fiber Optic Technology ; Humans ; Intubation, Intratracheal

Anesthesia ; Fiber Optic Technology ; Humans ; Intubation, Intratracheal

BACKGROUNDThere is an unmet need for a reliable method of airway management for patients in the lateral position. This prospective randomized controlled two-center study was designed to evaluate the feasibility of intubation using a flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope in the lateral position during surgery.

METHODSSeventy-two patients scheduled for elective nonobstetric surgery in the lateral decubitus position requiring tracheal intubation under general anesthesia at Lishui Central Hospital of Zhejiang Province and Jiaxing First Hospital of Zhejiang Province from April 1, 2015, to September 30, 2015, were enrolled in this study. Patients were randomly assigned to the supine position group (Group S, n = 38) and the lateral position group (Group L, n = 34). Experienced anesthetists performed tracheal intubation with a fiberoptic bronchoscope after general anesthesia. The time required for intubation, intubation success rates, and hemodynamic changes was recorded. Between-group differences were assessed using the Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, or Chi-square test.

RESULTSThe median total time to tracheal intubation was significantly longer in Group S (140.0 [135.8, 150.0] s) compared to Group L (33.0 [24.0, 38.8] s) (P < 0.01). The first-attempt intubation success rate was significantly higher in Group L (97%) compared to Group S (16%). Hemodynamic changes immediately after intubation were more exaggerated in Group S compared to Group L (P = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONEndotracheal intubation with a flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope may be an effective and timesaving technique for patients in the lateral position.

TRIAL REGISTRATIONChinese Clinical Trial Register, ChiCTR-IIR-16007814; http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=13183.

Adult ; Aged ; Airway Management ; Bronchoscopes ; Equipment Design ; Female ; Fiber Optic Technology ; instrumentation ; methods ; Humans ; Intraoperative Complications ; prevention & control ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; instrumentation ; methods ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patient Positioning ; Prospective Studies ; Young Adult

Objective To compare the Ambu Aura-i with the Air-Q intubating laryngeal airway for fiberoptic-guided tracheal intubation in ear deformity children.Methods Totally 120 children who were scheduled for elective auricular reconstruction surgery requiring general anaesthesia with tracheal intubation were enrolled in this prospective study. They were randomized to receive either the Ambu Aura-i (Aura-i group) or Air-Q (Air-Q group). The time for successful tracheal intubation was assessed. The attempts for successful device insertion, leak pressures, cuff pressures, fiberoptic grade of laryngeal view, time for removal of the device after endotracheal intubation, and complications were recorded. Results Device placement, endotracheal intubation, and removal after endotracheal intubation were successful in all patients. The Air-Q group required longer time than the Aura-i group in device placement[(14.1±7.2) s vs. (10.8±5.2) s, P<0.05], successful endotracheal intubation [(39.8±9.5) s vs. (24.1±8.2) s, P<0.05], and device removal [(18.2±5.1) s vs. (14.7±3.7) s, P<0.05]. There were no differences in fiberoptic grade of view between these devices, and the percentage of glottis seen was 80.0% (Air-Q group) vs. 86.7% (Aura-i group). The leak pressure was (20.5±4.8) cmHO in the Air-Q group and (22.2±5.0) cmHO in the Aura-i group (P<0.05), and the cuff pressure was (22.9±11.5)cmHO in the Air-Q group and (33.9±15.9) cmHO in the Aura-i group (P<0.05). Hemodynamic changes were not significantly different between two group. The incidence rate of sore throat two hours after operation was 6.5% (n=4) in the Air-Q group and 5% (n=3) in the Aura-i group. Conclusion Both Ambu Aura-i and Air-Q intubating laryngeal airway are effective conduits for beroptic-guided tracheal intubation, with advantages including simple operation, high success rate, and fewer complications, especially the Ambu Aura-i.
Anesthesia, General ; Child ; Device Removal ; Elective Surgical Procedures ; Fiber Optic Technology ; Humans ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; methods ; Laryngeal Masks ; Pressure ; Prospective Studies

BACKGROUNDAwake fiberoptic intubation (AFOI) is usually performed in the management of the predicted difficult airway. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of dexmedetomidine with midazolam (DM) and sufentanil with midazolam (SM) for sedation for awake fiberoptic nasotracheal intubation.

METHODSFifty patients with limited mouth opening scheduled for AFOI were randomly assigned to two groups (n = 25 per group) by a computer-generated randomization schedule. All subjects received midazolam 0.02 mg/kg as premedication and airway topical anesthesia with a modified "spray-as-you-go" technique. Group DM received dexmedetomidine at a loading dose of 0.5 μg/kg over 10 min followed by a continuous infusion of 0.25 μg·kg-1·h-1, whereas Group SM received sufentanil at a loading dose of 0.2 μg/kg over 10 min followed by a continuous infusion of 0.1 μg·kg-1·h-1. As necessary, since the end of the administration of the loading dose of the study drug, an additional dose of midazolam 0.5 mg at 2-min intervals was given to achieve a modified Observers' Assessment of Alertness/Sedation of 2-3. The quality of intubation conditions and adverse events were observed.

RESULTSThe scores of ease of the AFOI procedure, patient's reaction during AFOI, coughing severity, tolerance after intubation, recall of the procedure and discomfort during the procedure were comparable in both groups (z = 0.572, 0.664, 1.297, 0.467, 0.895, and 0.188, respectively, P > 0.05). Hypoxic episodes similarly occurred in the two groups, but the first partial pressure of end-tidal CO2after intubation was higher in Group SM than that in Group DM (45.2 ± 4.2 mmHg vs. 42.2 ± 4.3 mmHg, t = 2.495, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSBoth dexmedetomidine and sufentanil are effective as an adjuvant for AFOI under airway topical anesthesia combined with midazolam sedation, but respiratory depression is still a potential risk in the sufentanil regimen.

Adult ; Conscious Sedation ; methods ; Dexmedetomidine ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Fiber Optic Technology ; methods ; Humans ; Hypnotics and Sedatives ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; methods ; Male ; Midazolam ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Middle Aged ; Sufentanil ; adverse effects ; therapeutic use ; Wakefulness

Awake intubation with a flexible fibrescope is usually done electively in patients with a known difficult airway. Herein, we describe the case of an elective awake tracheal intubation that was performed on a patient with a large, obstructive supraglottic mass. The intubation was successfully performed using the Bonfils fibrescope after several failed attempts with a flexible fibrescope. This case highlights the usefulness of the Bonfils fibrescope and the limitations of the flexible fibrescope in certain clinical situations.
Fiber Optic Technology ; Humans ; Intubation, Intratracheal ; instrumentation ; methods ; Laryngeal Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Laryngoscopes ; Laryngoscopy ; instrumentation ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Trachea ; Tracheostomy ; methods ; Wakefulness

Bronchoscopy ; Female ; Fiber Optic Technology ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Male ; Respiratory Sounds ; diagnosis ; etiology