Endotracheal tube colonization in patients undergoing mechanical ventilation was investigated. In the first part of this prospective study, the airway access tube was examined for the presence of secretions, airway obstruction and bacterial colonization, in cases undergoing extubation or tube change. In the second part of the study, the sequence of oropharyngeal, gastric, respiratory tract and ...

Respiratory failure secondary to surfactant deficiency is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. Surfactant therapy substantially reduces mortality and respiratory morbidity for this population. Secondary surfactant deficiency also contributes to acute respiratory morbidity in late-preterm and term neonates with meconium aspiration syndrome, pneumonia/sepsis, and perhaps p...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Peritonsillar abscess is an unusual complication, but predisposes to severe upper airway complications. This report aimed at presenting a case of upper airway obstruction after surgical drainage of a peritonsillar abscess in a healthy young female patient. CASE REPORT Young female patient, 26 years old, with severe peritonsillar abscess and submitted to general anest...

Laryngeal oedema, giving rise to stridor, is a recognized although rare complication following extubation of the trachea in children. It was our clinical impression that children with Down's syndrome, in particular, had a tendency to develop obstruction of the airway following operation. In Down's syndrome there are many abnormalities which affect the face and skull: those affect' ing the airwa...

Respiratory failure secondary to surfactant deficiency is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. Surfactant therapy substantially reduces mortality and respiratory morbidity for this population. Secondary surfactant deficiency also contributes to acute respiratory morbidity in late-preterm and term neonates with meconium aspiration syndrome, pneumonia/sepsis, and perhaps p...

Airway isolation by endotracheal intubation or tracheostomy impedes or even interrupts speech and swallowing. Pharyngeal and laryngeal impairment frequently occurs after extubation or de-cannulation, common consequences being dysphonia, dysphagia and the aspiration of oral secretions, food, or fluids. Aspiration often leads to pneumonia and eventually death. Although the literature reports a hi...

Respiratory failure secondary to surfactant deficiency is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. Surfactant therapy substantially reduces mortality and respiratory morbidity for this population. Secondary surfactant deficiency also contributes to acute respiratory morbidity in late-preterm and term neonates with meconium aspiration syndrome, pneumonia/sepsis, and perhaps p...

L aryngospasm is a common complication of airway management in anesthetic practice (1). It consists of a prolonged glottic closure reflex mediated by the superior laryngeal nerve. It often occurs with insufficient depth of anesthesia on endotracheal intubation, light anesthesia on tracheal extubation, or a combination of either of the preceding with an airway irritant such as blood, mucus, lary...

We studied 120 patients less than 1 yr of age, allocated randomly to receive atropine 40 micrograms kg-1 orally 1 h before operation (group A) or no premedication (group B). All patients underwent a standardized anaesthetic, including inhalation induction with halothane followed by atracurium 0.5 mg kg-1, tracheal intubation and positive pressure ventilation. Monitoring during anaesthesia inclu...

The timing of extubation is crucial during critical illness, since either delayed or premature discontinuation from mechanical ventilation is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality,1 and the literature suggests that an early identification of patients who are able to breathe spontaneously reduces the duration of mechanical ventilation and complication rate.1 However, even ...