OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of a single, vital capacity breath (vital capacity maneuver [VCM]), administered at the end of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), on pulmonary gas exchange in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery. DESIGN Prospective, randomized, double-blind study. SETTING University-affiliated hospital. PARTICIPANTS Forty patients scheduled for elective ...

results seventy-five patients completed the study. compared to saline, patients who received 1 and 5 mg/kg of aminophylline demonstrated decreased extubation times (mean ± sd) (12.26 ± 7.33 vs. 11.15 ± 8.62 and 10.4 ± 4.78 min, respectively, p = 0.001) with higher bis values (p = 0.001). however, the recovery and discharge times from the pacu were no different between the aminophylline and sali...

Tracheal reintubation is a common event in critical care. Elmer and colleagues provide the first comparison of complication rates of initial and subsequent reintubation(s) during the same hospitalization. Their work shows an increased risk of complications associated with reintubation, in particular hypoxemia and hypotension, reminding us to be cautious with patients having minimal reserve and ...

Introduction: We present a case of a 37-yearold female who suffered an iatrogenic tear of the trachea following a non-traumatic intubation for an uncomplicated, elective cesarean section under general anesthesia. Case Report: Fifty minutes after extubation, the patient developed hemodynamic instability and respiratory distress, which required reintubation, and the trachea was surgically repaire...

BACKGROUND Respiratory support following postoperative extubation is of major importance to prevent hypoxemia and subsequent respiratory failure and reintubation. High-flow nasal cannula oxygen (HFNC) delivers a flow-dependent positive airway pressure and improves oxygenation by increasing end-expiratory lung volume. Whether application of HFNC may have therapeutic advantages over conventional ...

Tracheal extubation remains a critical and often overlooked period of difficult airway management. A 66-year-old man, scheduled for C5-C7 anterior fusion, with an easy view of the vocal cords, presented with a sublaryngeal obstruction that required a reduced tracheal tube size. Despite correct tube placement, intra-operative ventilation remained difficult. At the end of surgery a pulsatile trac...