fibre optic intubation

BACKGROUND: After tracheal tube insertion via various types of supraglottic airway devices, the distance from the tube cuff to the vocal cords has not been evaluated in children. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate the position of a tracheal tube cuff relative to the glottis in children when one of three supraglottic airway devices (I-gel, AuraGain and air-Q laryngeal airway) are used as intubation conduits. DESIGN: A randomised controlled trial...

Basic bronchoscopic diagnostic procedures like Broncho-alveolar lavage (BAL) are often performed without sedation, using lignocaine administered via the working channel of bronchoscope (spray-as-you-go technique) and other routes. Our aim was to evaluate the factors responsible for variation in the total dose of lignocaine administered in individual subjects. We prospectively included consecutive subjects undergoing BAL in an outpatient setting from August 2016 to November 2017 at our centre. The subjects were administered lignocaine via nebulization, nasal gel, oropharyngeal spray before and during bronchoscopy ("spray-as-you-go") as per a predefined protocol...

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the modified Evans blue dye test compared to the fibre-optic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing to detect aspiration in tracheostomised patients. METHODS: This observational accuracy study included 17 patients hospitalised for respiratory complications, subjected to prolonged intubation, and for this reason, tracheostomised. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 60.2 ± 21.0 years. Aspiration was identified in 10 patients when assessed by fibre-optic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing; of these, 1 had aspiration when evaluated by modified Evans blue dye test...

Ossification of the anterior longitudinal ligament of the spine, known as Forestier disease or diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, is usually an asymptomatic disorder. The area most frequently affected is the thoracic spine, followed by lumbar and cervical regions. In the case of cervical involvement with clinical manifestations, the most common symptoms include dysphagia, dyspnoea, dysphonia, and can exceptionally cause an acute airway obstruction. The airway management of these patients represents a great anaesthetic challenge...

Topicalisation of the airway by various techniques has routinely been recommended for awake fibre-optic bronchoscopy in cases of difficult airway. However, topicalisation by itself can cause airway obstruction by decreasing the tone of the laryngeal muscles and causing a dynamic air inflow obstruction. Two cases of difficult airway are illustrated where anaesthetising upper airway with nebulisation with 4% lignocaine (Xylocaine™) or 2% lignocaine (Xylocaine™) jelly resulted in stridor and upper airway obstruction...

BACKGROUND: To determine whether fibre optic bronchoscopy-guided percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy (FOB-PDT) is a better option in critically ill patients, we compared the efficacy and incidence of procedure complications between PDT with and without FOB. METHODS: We included 90 patients with oral intubation and mechanical ventilation who received PDT with (n = 45, FOB-PDT group) and without (n = 45, PDT group) FOB. For all patients, a simplification of the Griggs technique was used in this study with a central venous catheter set and dilating forceps...

Background: Airway management in tracheal resections presents many challenges. The aim of this retrospective analysis is to report the efficacy and complications associated with the use of the laryngeal mask airway in this procedure. Methods: The charts of 54 consecutive patients operated for tracheal stenosis during the period 2009-2016 were reviewed. This cohort included only resections of the trachea. We evaluated total success rate of laryngeal mask insertion (%), insertion success rate on the first attempt, the quality of intraoperative ventilation through the laryngeal mask, the quality of fibre optic view through the device, incidence of bleeding during the first 24 h, signs of dehiscence of the anastomosis within 48 h and 30-day mortality...

Background and Aims: Fibre-optic intubation (FOI) through supraglottic airway devices (SADs) is useful in the management of the difficult airway. We compared two methods of FOI through seven SADs in a randomised crossover manikin study to assess each device's performance and discuss implications on SAD selection. Methods: Thirty anaesthetsiologists, 15 seniors and 15 juniors, each performed low skill FOI (LSFOI) with seven SADs using both 'direct' and 'indirect' methods...

Klippel-Feil Syndrome is a disease characterised by congenital fusion of cervical vertebra, which leads to cervical limitation and instability. In these cases, the best option is the orotracheal intubation with the fibre-optic bronchoscope with the patient awake. The advantage is that cervical movements that could lead to neurological damage are minimised. In these patients, adequate sedation, together with instillation of local anaesthetic in the pharynx and hypopharynx, is the key to reducing patient discomfort and achieving successful orotracheal intubation...

BACKGROUND: Orotracheal intubation in dogs is a common and easily-performed procedure that provides a patent airway during anaesthesia. In dogs with temporomandibular joint ankylosis or pseudo-ankylosis, airway management can be a challenging procedure since these dogs have a limited ability to open their mouth. Methods to provide safe, uneventful intubation in such patients may include minimally invasive techniques such as retrograde intubation using a guide wire and fibre-optic-aided laryngoscopy...

Background and Aims: Awake fibre-optic intubation (AFOI) is an integral part of anaesthetic management of difficult airways. Conscious sedation is essential to assist AFOI. This study compared two different doses of dexmedetomidine in combination with topical spray and airway blocks for awake orotracheal fibre-optic intubation in patients undergoing elective cervical spine surgery with rigid cervical collar in situ . Methods: A randomized, prospective, comparative study design was conducted in sixty patients divided into two groups: Group (L) ( n = 30) patients received low dose of dexmedetomidine (0...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ambu(®) AuraGain™ (AG) (Ambu, Ballerup, Denmark) is a supraglottic device which has a design facilitating its use as a conduit for intubation. We designed this prospective observational study to assess the ease of AG placement in paralysed patients, determine its position and alignment to the glottis and assess its utility as a conduit for intubation. METHODS: One hundred patients, aged 18-60 years, American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I-II, undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia were included in the study...

INTRODUCTION: Impacted penetrating foreign body (FB) in the airway especially the postnasal space presents with management challenges. The challenges are worsened by lack of modern equipment in resource-poor settings. Two suchlike cases were managed in this report. PRESENTATION OF CASES: Case 1: A 4-year-old girl who fell on a metal rod in her mouth while playing alone. Examination revealed an agitated child in open mouth posture, with a silvery straight metallic object impacted on the hard palate and projecting from the mouth...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Ultrasonography has emerged as a novel, portable, non-invasive tool encouraging airway assessment and procedural interventions. This study assesses the feasibility of ultrasound for block of internal branch of superior laryngeal nerve (ibSLN) block during upper airway anaesthesia to aid awake fibre-optic intubation. METHODS: Forty American Society of Anesthesiologists' physical status I-II patients, aged 18-60 years, deemed to have a difficult airway (modified Mallampati class III-IV or inter-incisor distance <2...

Damage to the endotracheal tube (ETT) is common in head and neck surgeries, especially in maxillary osteotomy. Airway management in such a crisis is crucial as there is risk of aspiration of blood into lungs, hypoxia and apnoea. This case illustrates a patient with an anticipated difficult airway who had an intraoperative damage to the ETT and was successfully managed by re-intubation with fiberoptic bronchoscope in a minimal apnoea period of <15 s using a new technique.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The Airtraq™ optical laryngoscope is the only marketed videolaryngoscope for paediatric patients besides the fibre-optic bronchoscope. We hypothesized that intubation would be easier with Airtraq™ compared to Miller blade. Hence, we compared Airtraq™ with the Miller laryngoscope as intubation devices in paediatric patients. METHODS: This prospective, randomized study was conducted in a tertiary care teaching hospital. Sixty children belonging to American Society of Anesthesiologists' Grade I-II, aged 2-10 years, posted for routine surgery requiring tracheal intubation were randomly allocated to undergo intubation using a Miller (n = 30) or Airtraq™ (n = 30) laryngoscope...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Video Stylet (VS) is a new intubating modality that provides real-time video of endotracheal intubation (ETI). This device does not need alignment of the oral, pharyngeal and tracheal axes to view glottis and can be used in patients with limited mouth opening. The aim of this study was to compare flexible fibre-optic (FO) bronchoscope with VS in elective surgical patients in apparently normal airway patients requiring oral ETI. METHODS: Sixty patients undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia of age group 20-60 years, weight 40-70 kg, American Society of Anesthesiologist 1 and 2 and modified Mallampatti I and II were included in the study...

BACKGROUND: Airway emergencies presenting to the emergency department (ED) are usually managed with conventional equipment and techniques. The patient group managed urgently in the operating room (OR) has not been described. AIMS: This study aims to describe a case series of children presenting to the ED with airway emergencies managed urgently in the OR, particularly the anaesthetic equipment and techniques used and airway findings. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study undertaken at The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Various anaesthetic drugs, in addition to airway block, are used for producing favourable intubation conditions during awake fibre-optic intubation (AFOI), but most of them cause respiratory depression and hypoxaemia. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of intravenous (IV) dexmedetomidine (DEX) on sedation, patient comfort and cardiovascular responses during AFOI in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). METHODS: This randomised, placebo-controlled, double-blinded, prospective study was conducted on 56 adult patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) undergoing elective cervical fixation, who were randomly allocated into two groups - Group D and Group C...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Awake flexible fibre-optic bronchoscope (FFS) is the standard method of intubation in difficult airway in oral cancer patients. We decided to evaluate GlideScope® video laryngoscope (GL) for intubation as compared to the standard FFS for nasal intubation in such patients. METHODS: After the ethical committee approval, we included 54 oropharyngeal cancer patients divided randomly into two equal groups: Group G and Group F. After pre-medication and pre-oxygenation, awake nasal intubation was performed using GL in Group G and FFS in Group F...