The endotracheal tube (eTT) is the most common artificial airway used in NICUs. Suctioning of the eTT is imperative to maintain patency and prevent complications. An extensive review of the literature revealed a lack of standardized criteria or guidelines for suctioning the eTT of neonates and infants in the NICU. The purpose of this article is to report the implementation of an evidencebased g...

Total or near-total rhinectomy during tumor ablative surgery creates a large postsurgical defect. Surgical or prosthetic reconstruction may be considered. Surgical reconstruction of such a defect depends on support of the reconstructive tissues to prevent collapse. Without support, the esthetic results and airway patency are compromised. The purpose of this clinical report is to present the use...

Complications of tracheotomy tube placement can be categorized as intraoperative, early postoperative, and late postoperative. Among the late complications is the development of granulation tissue. We describe one of the few reported cases of granulation tissue that formed within a fenestrated tracheotomy tube. In this case, the granulation tissue grew through the fenestrations, obliterated the...

Abstract Background CPAP is characterized by the application of a constant and continuous positive pressure into patient’s airway. By delivering during both inspiration expiration, increases functional residual capacity opens collapsed or under ventilated alveoli, thus decreasing right to left intrapulmonary shunt improving oxygenation in obese individuals. Main body abstract Obesity several al...

The pathophysiology of obstructive sleep apnea can be explained by collapse of upper airways secondary to the negative intra-pharyngeal pressure that develops during inspiration [4]. In addition, during sleep, muscles in the mouth relax and tongue and other structures tend to fall toward the back of the mouth causing crowding in the upper airway region with more potential for upper airway obstr...

Laryngeal traumas are rarely seen. A tracheostomy was performed in a 39-year-old male patient who developed dyspnea following a neck trauma. Computed tomography examination revealed fracture of the thyroid cartilage. He was treated successfully by open reduction and miniplate fixation. No problems were detected in airway patency and voice quality on postoperative controls. No complications were...

Vigilance is the motto for the American Society of Anesthesiologists. Vigilance over the sedated pediatric dental patient is essential for safe and successful treatment. Especially important is vigilance over the patient’s airway. If airway compromise can be quickly detected and corrected, then the likelihood of the patient experiencing a decrease in oxygen saturation will be low. Hypoxia cause...

The onset of sleep is associated with a reduction in upper airway patency and an increase in resistance, an effect observed in normal humans and animals, and typically present in snorers and patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)/hypopnea syndrome (1–5). Patients with OSA commonly have structural abnormalities that result in a narrowed upper airway and collapsible pharyngeal walls. During ...

The mechanical effects of pharyngeal constrictor (PC) muscle activation on pharyngeal airway function were determined in 20 decerebrate, tracheotomized cats. In 10 cats, a high-compliance balloon attached to a pressure transducer was partially inflated to just occlude the pharyngeal airway. During progressive hyperoxic hypercapnia, changes in pharyngeal balloon pressure were directly related to...