BACKGROUND Desflurane at more than 1 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) has been shown to prolong the QT interval, but it is unclear whether this is the case at lower concentrations. The aim of this study was to determine whether desflurane concentrations of <1 MAC affect tracheal intubation-induced prolongation of the QT interval. METHODS Forty-four subjects received either inspired desflu...

BACKGROUND Patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) can often present difficulties in intubation. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of the Pentax AirWay Scope (AWS) with that of the Macintosh laryngoscope for tracheal intubation in patients with OSA. METHODS Forty-six patients undergoing uvulopalatopharyngoplasty were randomly allocated to tracheal intubation with either the Macint...

Background: The LMA CTrachTM system is a new device for airway management and endotracheal intubation under direct vision in both anticipated and unexpected difficult intubation situations. This randomized controlled study was undertaken to compare the hemodynamic effects, ease of intubation, time taken for intubation, upper airway morbidity following tracheal intubation through LMA CTrachTM wi...

BACKGROUND A common complaint after endotracheal tube use is sore throat, which may be due to abrasion, ischemia-reperfusion injury, or an inflammatory reaction. Few studies have evaluated localized tracheal inflammation as part of the response to intubation. METHODS Inflammation of the trachea due to intubation was assessed in a swine model by following indicators of inflammation over time i...

BACKGROUND Tracheal intubation using Storz's C-Mac D-blade(TM) videolaryngoscope is associated with difficult negotiation of the tracheal tube into the glottis due to steep angulation of its blade. OBJECTIVES In this study, we hypothesized that Truflex(TM) articulating stylet with its ability to dynamically tailor the ETT shape to patients' oropharyngeal anatomy would be better suited to the ...

BACKGROUND Video laryngoscopes have been introduced in recent years as an alternative choice to facilitate tracheal intubation. We conducted a meta-analysis to assess their value when compared with direct laryngoscopy. METHODS PubMed and EMBASE were searched up until 24 September 2010. Randomised trials that reported data on the comparison of video laryngoscopes with direct laryngoscopy for t...

We have examined the effect of preoperative administration of nebulized lignocaine or saline on the intraocular pressure (IOP) response to tracheal intubation in 20 adults. In the saline group, tracheal intubation was associated with a significant increase in IOP above control and preintubation values (P less than 0.01); in the lignocaine group there was no change in IOP following intubation. A...