An African-American man, aged 34 years, underwent an elective uncomplicated right wrist laceration repair while under general anesthesia. Following extubation, the patient developed hypoxemia, tachypnea, shortness of breath, pulmonary rales, frothy sputum, decreased oxygen saturation, and evidence of upper airway obstruction. Chest radiograph showed pulmonary edema. The patient was diagnosed wi...

OBJECTIVE Prior studies describe airway management by single EMS agencies, regions or states. We sought to characterize out-of-hospital airway management interventions, outcomes and complications across the United States. METHODS Using the 2008 National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS) Public-Release Data Set containing data from 16 states, we identified patients receivi...

This review discusses the history, developments, benefits, and complications of supraglottic devices in prehospital care for adults and pediatrics. Evidence supporting their use as well as current controversies and developments in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and rapid sequence airway management is discussed. Devices reviewed include the Laryngeal Mask Airway, Esophageal Tracheal Combitube, L...

introduction: hypertrophied tonsils and adenoids may cause upper airway obstruction and cardio-pulmonary complications due to pulmonary arterial hypertension. the aim of this study was to determine the correlation between mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mpap) and selected adenotonsilar hypertrophy indexes. materials and methods: thirty two patients with upper-airway obstruction resulting from...

BACKGROUND Tracheostomy is considered the airway management of choice for patients who need prolonged mechanical ventilation support. Percutaneous Dilatational Tracheotomy (PDT) is a technique that can be performed easily and rapidly at bedside and is particularly useful in the intensive care setting. The Griggs percutaneous tracheotomy is unique in its utilization of a guide wire dilator force...

Background: The main concerns following general anesthesia, especially if it lasts longer than 4 hours, are postoperative pulmonary complications, including hypoxemia, lung atelectasis, and acute respiratory failure requiring reintubation. To avoid these extubation with support is crucial. high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) increases end-expiratory volume reduces the work of breathing to improve ox...

The use of intravenous thrombolytic agents has revolutionised the treatment of acute myocardial infarction. However, the improvement in mortality rate achieved with these drugs is tempered by the risk of serious bleeding complications, including intracranial haemorrhage. Tenecteplase is a genetically engineered mutant tissue plasminogen activator. Haemorrhagic complications of tissue plasminoge...

BACKGROUND Two hundred anaesthetists underwent airway endoscopy and attempted awake fibreoptic intubation (FOI) on a training course. Complications were recorded and each subject's response to the procedure was assessed. METHODS Topical airway local anaesthesia was produced with up to 9 mg kg(-1) of lidocaine, sedation was not used. Complications during and after the procedure were noted. Lat...

Airway and respiratory complications are the most common causes of morbidity during general anesthesia in children. The airway changes in size, shape and position throughout its development from the neonate to the adult (1). Knowledge of the functional anatomy of the airway in children forms the basis of understanding the pathological conditions that may occur. This in turn allows a comprehensi...