Submental Endotracheal Intubation: A Valuable Resource for the Management of Panfacial Fractures

Modern techniques for surgical treatment of midfacial and panfacial fractures in maxillofacial trauma lead to special problems for airway management. Usually, in perioperative management of panfacial fractures, the surgeon needs to control the dental occlusion and nasal pyramid assessment. For these reasons, oral and nasal endotracheal intubations are contraindicated for the management of panfacial fractures. Tracheotomy is considered by many as the preferred route for airway management in patients with severe maxillofacial fractures, but there are often perioperative and postoperative complications concerning this technique. The submental route for endotracheal intubation has been proposed as an alternative to tracheotomy in the surgical management of patients with panfacial fractures, besides it is accompanied by low morbidity. Thus, this paper aimed to describe the submental endotracheal intubation technique in a patient experiencing panfacial fracture. The subject was well treated using the submental endotracheal intubation to get good reconstruction of the fractures because the authors obtained free access of all facial fractures.

Submental Endotracheal Intubation: A Valuable Resource for the Management of Panfacial Fractures

Modern techniques for surgical treatment of midfacial and panfacial fractures in maxillofacial trauma lead to special problems for airway management. Usually, in perioperative management of panfacial fractures, the surgeon needs to control the dental occlusion and nasal pyramid assessment. For these reasons, oral and nasal endotracheal intubations are contraindicated for the management of panfacial fractures. Tracheotomy is considered by many as the preferred route for airway management in patients with severe maxillofacial fractures, but there are often perioperative and postoperative complications concerning this technique. The submental route for endotracheal intubation has been proposed as an alternative to tracheotomy in the surgical management of patients with panfacial fractures, besides it is accompanied by low morbidity. Thus, this paper aimed to describe the submental endotracheal intubation technique in a patient experiencing panfacial fracture. The subject was well treated using the submental endotracheal intubation to get good reconstruction of the fractures because the authors obtained free access of all facial fractures.

Videolaryngoscopy improves intubation condition in morbidly obese patients

Résumé : Contexte clinique et objectifs: l'intubation oro-trachéale peut être plus difficile chez les patients obèses morbides (index de masse corporelle BMI > 35 kg/m2) que chez les patients non-obèses. Récemment, de nouveaux instruments permettant une intubation assistée au moyen d'une caméra ont été développés. Notre expérience pratique avec la vidéolaryngoscopie nous a conduit à l'hypothèse que celle-ci pourrait améliorer la vision laryngoscopique chez cette population spécifique et de ce fait faciliter l'intubation. Le but de cette étude était donc d'évaluer le bénéfice du vidéolaryngoscope sur le grade de laryngoscopie chez le patient obèse morbide. Résultats : le grade laryngoscopique fut abaissé de manière significative avec le vidéolaryngoscope comparé à la vision directe avec un laryngoscope standard. Lorsque le grade laryngoscopique était plus grand que 1 à la laryngoscopie directe, il fut dans la grande majorité des cas (93% des patients) abaissé avec le vidéolaryngoscope. Chez les 7 % restant, le grade laryngoscopique resta identique. Conclusions : chez le patient obèse morbide, l'utilisation du vidéolaryngoscope améliore de manière significative la visualisation du larynx et de ce fait facilite l'intubation. Une application systématique de ce procédé pourrait donc permettre de réduire l'incidence d'une intubation difficile ainsi que ses conséquences chez cette population de patients. Summary : Background and objective: Tracheal intubation may be more difficult in morbidly obese patients (body mass index >35 kgM-2) than in the non-obese. Recently, new video-assisted intubation devices have been developed. After some experience with videolaryngoscopy, we hypothesized that it could improve the laryngoscopic view in this specific population and therefore facilitate intubation. The aim of this study was to assess the benefit of a videolaryngoscope on the grade of laryngoscopy in morbid obesity. Methods: We studied 80 morbidly obese patients undergoing bariatric surgery. They were randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group was intubated with the help of the videolaryngoscope and in the control group the screen of the videolaryngoscope was hidden to the intubating anaesthesiologist. The primary end-point of the study was to assess in both groups the Cormack and Lehane direct and indirect grades of laryngoscopy. The duration of intubation, the number of attempts needed as well as the minimal SPO2 reached during the intubation process were measured. Results: Grade of laryngoscopy was significantly lower with the videolaryngoscope compared with the direct vision (P < 0.001). When the grade of laryngoscopy was higher than one with the direct laryngoscopy (n = 30), it was lower in 28 cases with the videolaryngoscope and remained the same only in two cases (P < 0.001). The minimal SPO2 reached during the intubation was higher with the videolaryngoscope but it did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: In morbidly obese patients, the use of the videolaryngoscope significantly improves the visualization of the larynx and thereby facilitates intubation.

Evaluation of laryngeal mask as an alternative to endotracheal intubation in cats anesthetized under spontaneous or controlled ventilation

Objective To compare the cardiorespiratory effects and incidence of gastroesophageal reflux with the use of a laryngeal mask airway (LMA) or endotracheal tube (ET) in anesthetized cats during spontaneous (SV) or controlled ventilation (CV).Study design Prospective randomized experimental trial.Animals Thirty-two adult crossbred cats, weighing 2.7 +/- 0.4 kg.Methods the cats were sedated with intramuscular (IM) methotrimeprazine (0.5 mg kg(-1)) and buprenorphine (0.005 mg kg(-1)), followed 30 minutes later by induction of anesthesia with intravenous (IV) thiopental (12.5-20 mg kg(-1)). An ET was used in 16 cats and an LMA in the remaining 16 animals. Anesthesia was maintained with 0.5 minimum alveolar concentration (0.6%) of halothane in oxygen using a Mapleson D breathing system. Cats in both groups were further divided into two equal groups (n = 8), undergoing either SV or CV. Neuromuscular blockade with pancuronium (0.06 mg kg(-1)) was used to facilitate CV. Heart and respiratory rates, direct arterial blood pressure, capnometry (PE'CO2) and arterial blood gases were measured. Gastric reflux and possible aspiration was investigated by intragastric administration of 5 mL of radiographic contrast immediately after induction of anesthesia. Cervical and thoracic radiographs were taken at the end of anesthesia. Data were analyzed using ANOVA followed by Student-Newman-Keuls, Kruskal-Wallis or Friedman test where appropriate.Results Values for PaCO2 and PE'CO2 were higher in spontaneously breathing cats with the LMA when compared with other groups. Values of PaO2 and hemoglobin oxygen saturation did not differ between groups. Gastroesophageal reflux occurred in four of eight and two of eight cats undergoing CV with ET or LMA, respectively. There was no tracheal or pulmonary aspiration in any cases.Conclusions and clinical relevance the use of an LMA may be used as an alternative to endotracheal intubation in anesthetized cats. Although aspiration was not observed, gastric reflux may occur in mechanically ventilated animals.

Preanesthetic assessment data do not influence the time for tracheal intubation with Airtraq (TM) video laryngoscope in obese patients

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Clinical prognostic indicators of dysphagia following prolonged orotracheal intubation in ICU patients

Introduction The development of postextubation wallowing dysfunction is well documented in the literature with high prevalence in most studies. However, there are relatively few studies with specific outcomes that focus on the follow-up of these patients until hospital discharge. The purpose of our study was to determine prognostic indicators of dysphagia in ICU patients submitted to prolonged orotracheal intubation (OTI). Methods We conducted a retrospective, observational cohort study from 2010 to 2012 of all patients over 18 years of age admitted to a university hospital ICU who were submitted to prolonged OTI and subsequently received a bedside swallow evaluation (BSE) by a speech pathologist. The prognostic factors analyzed included dysphagia severity rate at the initial swallowing assessment and at hospital discharge, age, time to initiate oral feeding, amount of individual treatment, number of orotracheal intubations, intubation time and length of hospital stay. Results After we excluded patients with neurologic diseases, tracheostomy, esophageal dysphagia and those who were submitted to surgical procedures involving the head and neck, our study sample size was 148 patients. The logistic regression model was used to examine the relationships between independent variables. In the univariate analyses, we found that statistically significant prognostic indicators of dysphagia included dysphagia severity rate at the initial swallowing assessment, time to initiate oral feeding and amount of individual treatment. In the multivariate analysis, we found that dysphagia severity rate at the initial swallowing assessment remained associated with good treatment outcomes. Conclusions Studies of prognostic indicators in different populations with dysphagia can contribute to the design of more effective procedures when evaluating, treating, and monitoring individuals with this type of disorder. Additionally, this study stresses the importance of the initial assessment ratings.

Awake tracheal intubation using the Sensascope in 13 patients with an anticipated difficult airway

We present the use of the SensaScope, an S-shaped rigid fibreoptic scope with a flexible distal end, in a series of 13 patients at high risk of, or known to have, a difficult intubation. Patients received conscious sedation with midazolam or fentanyl combined with a remifentanil infusion and topical lidocaine to the oral mucosa and to the trachea via a trans-cricoid injection. Spontaneous ventilation was maintained until confirmation of tracheal intubation. In all cases, tracheal intubation was achieved using the SensaScope. The median (IQR [range]) insertion time (measured from the time the facemask was taken away from the face until an end-expiratory CO(2) reading was visible on the monitor) was 58 s (38-111 [28-300]s). In nine of the 13 cases, advancement of the SensaScope into the trachea was easy. Difficulties included a poor view associated with a bleeding diathesis and saliva, transient loss of spontaneous breathing, and difficulty in advancing the tracheal tube in a patient with unforeseen tracheal narrowing. A poor view in two patients was partially improved by a high continuous flow of oxygen. The SensaScope may be a valuable alternative to other rigid or flexible fibreoptic scopes for awake intubation of spontaneously breathing patients with a predicted difficult airway.

Randomized trial comparing the i-gel™ and Magill tracheal tube with the single-use ILMA™ and ILMA™ tracheal tube for fibreoptic-guided intubation in anaesthetized patients with a predicted difficult airway

The i-gel™ is a single-use supraglottic airway device (SAD) that allows fibreoptic-guided tracheal intubation through the device. Until now, no prospective data for this procedure are available. Therefore, in a prospective randomized controlled trial, we evaluated fibreoptic-guided tracheal intubation with a standard Rüsch™ PVC tracheal tube (TT) through the i-gel™ compared with the single-use ILMA™ (sILMA™) TT through the sILMA™ in patients with a predicted difficult airway.

Randomized clinical trial of the i-gel™ and Magill tracheal tube or single-use ILMA™ and ILMA™ tracheal tube for blind intubation in anaesthetized patients with a predicted difficult airway

The single-use supraglottic airway device i-gel™ has been described in several case reports as a conduit for intubation, but no prospective data about success rates of blind intubation are available. Therefore, we performed this prospective randomized controlled trial to compare the success rate of blind tracheal intubation with a Magill PVC tube through the i-gel™ with intubation using an sILMA™ PVC tube through the single-use intubating laryngeal mask airway (sILMA™).

Evolution of gene expression changes in newborn rats after mechanical ventilation with reversible intubation

Mechanical ventilation (MV) is life-saving but potentially harmful for lungs of premature infants. So far, animal models dealt with the acute impact of MV on immature lungs, but less with its delayed effects. We used a newborn rodent model including non-surgical and therefore reversible intubation with moderate ventilation and hypothesized that there might be distinct gene expression patterns after a ventilation-free recovery period compared to acute effects directly after MV. Newborn rat pups were subjected to 8 hr of MV with 60% oxygen (O(2)), 24 hr after injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), intended to create a low inflammatory background as often recognized in preterm infants. Animals were separated in controls (CTRL), LPS injection (LPS), or full intervention with LPS and MV with 60% O(2) (LPS + MV + O(2)). Lungs were recovered either directly following (T:0 hr) or 48 hr after MV (T:48 hr). Histologically, signs of ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) were observed in LPS + MV + O(2) lungs at T:0 hr, while changes appeared similar to those known from patients with chronic lung disease (CLD) with fewer albeit larger gas exchange units, at T:48 hr. At T:0 hr, LPS + MV + O(2) increased gene expression of pro-inflammatory MIP-2. In parallel anti-inflammatory IL-1Ra gene expression was increased in LPS and LPS + MV + O(2) groups. At T:48 hr, pro- and anti-inflammatory genes had returned to their basal expression. MMP-2 gene expression was decreased in LPS and LPS + MV + O(2) groups at T:0 hr, but no longer at T:48 hr. MMP-9 gene expression levels were unchanged directly after MV. However, at T:48 hr, gene and protein expression increased in LPS + MV + O(2) group. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the feasibility of delayed outcome measurements after a ventilation-free period in newborn rats and may help to further understand the time-course of molecular changes following MV. The differences obtained from the two time points could be interpreted as an initial transitory increase of inflammation and a delayed impact of the intervention on structure-related genes.

SWIVIT--Swiss video-intubation trial evaluating video-laryngoscopes in a simulated difficult airway scenario: study protocol for a multicenter prospective randomized controlled trial in Switzerland

Video-laryngoscopes are marketed for intubation in difficult airway management. They provide a better view of the larynx and may facilitate tracheal intubation, but there is no adequately powered study comparing different types of video-laryngoscopes in a difficult airway scenario or in a simulated difficult airway situation.