Use of a tracheoscopic ventilation tube for endotracheal intubation in the difficult airway

Difficult endotracheal intubation is a clinical challenge for anesthesiologists and other practitioners of airway management. The use of a tracheoscopic ventilation tube, a novel airway device, for endotracheal intubation during general anesthesia in two patients with difficult airways after unsuccessful direct laryngoscopy is presented.     

A new bronchial blocker tube for one-lung ventilation

One-lung ventilation is used to facilitate thoracic and cardiac surgery. This article describes the development and clinical use of a new device, the bronchial blocker tube, to establish one-lung ventilation. The bronchial blocker tube has two circular lumen joined together, one for ventilation and one for acceptance of a bronchial blocker. In this setting, the bronchial blocker is a separate device which is replaceable, rotatable, and removable. In the authors' experience, the bronchial blocker tube was effective and easy to use.     

A new tracheal tube for difficult intubation

We have compared a new Portex tracheal tube with the Oxford tube in performing simulated grade 3 difficult intubations. The Portex tube was modified so that the bevel faced backwards, as in the Oxford tube. A gum elastic introducer was used with both tubes. The time taken and number of attempts needed were recorded, with changes in arterial pressure, heart rate and incidence of sore throat. Both tubes were successful in avoiding the problem of obstruction at the cords, which occurs when a standard Magill tube is used with an introducer. Thus the new tube has the merits of the Oxford tube without the disadvantages of rubber. It is suitable for both easy and difficult intubations with advantages in safety, cost and convenience. An unexpected but important finding was a clear learning effect, despite both investigators being familiar with the technique at the outset. Over the course of the study, intubation time decreased progressively (P < 0.001). This provides new evidence of the need for trainees to practise the art of intubation when the cords are not visible. Our estimate of the learning "half-life" was 15 intubations; we conclude that 30 simulated grade 3 intubations would be a reasonable objective for trainees before handling high-risk cases.      

胸科手术的单肺通气策略

背景 在胸科手术的麻醉中进行单肺通气(one-lung ventilation,OLV),不但可以为手术提供良好的术野,而且可以隔离并保护肺脏.但是,这是一种非生理状态下的通气方式,OLV期间的气压伤和氧毒性等因素常导致机械通气相关性肺损伤(ventilator-induced lung injury,VILI). 目的 探讨适合胸科手术的OLV策略. 内容 在OLV期间,采用肺泡复苏策略(alveolar recruitment strategy,ARS)和“小潮气量+呼气末正压通气(positive end-expiratory pressure,PEEP)”的保护性通气策略,使吸气平台压(plateau pressure,Pplat)＜25 cmH2O(1 cmH2O=0.098 kPa)和气道峰压(peak inspiratory pressure,Ppeak)＜35 cmH2O;限制FiO2;依据动脉血气分析的结果,酌情调整呼吸频率. 趋向 在OLV期间,应避免肺泡的过度膨胀和循环性的萎陷-复张,避免高浓度氧导致氧化应激加重,可以接受短时间内的高碳酸血症.对患者进行个体化管理,降低ICU的入住率及住院时间,提高患者的生存率及生存质量.     

Craniodiaphyseal dysplasia; another cause of difficult intubation

A nine-year-old boy with craniodiaphyseal dysplasia (CDD) presented for mandibular reduction. Patients with CDD present problems to the anaesthetist, specifically difficulties with airway management and tracheal intubation. This child was managed using laryngeal mask airway (LMA) guided fibreoptic intubation. Spontaneous respiration was maintained throughout intubation, following which ventilation was controlled and anaesthesia was provided using nitrous oxide, isoflurane and fentanyl. The perioperative management is described.     

Use of the Univent System tube® for difficult intubation and for achieving one-lung anaesthesia

Background : One-lung ventilation in major thoracic surgery is the most commonly accepted technique, not only for surgery on the lung but also in procedures involving the oesophagus, mediastinum and thoracic aorta. Conventional double-lumen tubes may sometimes be difficult to place correctly in patients in whom intubation is difficult. In such cases, the Univent System tube® may be of help. It has a curved movable blocker of small calibre, and is designed to slide inside the bronchial tree and occlude all or part of the target lung.
Case Report : We describe a new application of the Univent System tube® in three cases where intubation was presumed to be difficult, and in another with unexpected difficult intubation.
The laryngeal approach was carried out with the distally displaced blocker, inserting it through the sub-epiglottis or the posterior commissure visible orifice. The tube was firmly held and slid through the length of the blocker, rotating slowly until fully introduced. The advantages and criteria for its use are discussed.
Conclusion : Although the double-lumen tube is the first choice for one-lung ventilation, the Univent tube is a good option for selective bronchial intubation and in patients in whom difficult intubation is predicted.     

Comparison of one-lung ventilation and high-frequency ventilation in thoracoscopic surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To report our experience of the use of high frequency ventilation (HFV) in thoracoscopic surgery. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: University Hospital Rotterdam, The Netherlands. SUBJECTS: 31 patients (18 men and 13 women, mean age 42 years, range 26-67 years) who underwent 46 thoracoscopic procedures between January 1992 and December 1997. INTERVENTIONS: Until October 1994 patients had conventional mechanical ventilation with a double-lumen tube. Since then HFV has been used. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Duration of induction, oxygen saturation, and end-tidal carbon dioxide tension. RESULTS: 25 procedures were done with a double-lumen endotracheal tube for one-lung ventilation and in 21 HFV was used. Induction of anaesthesia took significantly less time in the HFV group (median 14 minutes) compared with one-lung ventilation group (median 31 minutes) (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the groups in either SaO2 or end-tidal CO2. CONCLUSION: HFV is both safe and simple for use in thoracoscopic surgery.     

Transorbital fiberoptic intubation: a predictable difficult intubation in cephalic surgery

Management of the difficult adult airway is a crucial problem in anaesthesia. It is the first cause of anaesthetic mortality and morbidity. We report here the case of a patient who could only be intubated through the orbital cavity. We discuss our technique of intubation compared to the other rare procedures described in the literature. We also focus on our anaesthetic protocol and the interest of preserving spontaneous ventilation for intubation. Use of short acting anaesthetic drugs can help to achieve such conditions.     

Bronchial blocker compared to double-lumen tube for one-lung ventilation during thoracoscopy

BACKGROUND: Video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) requires one-lung ventilation with a properly collapsed lung. This study compared the Broncho-Cath double-lumen endotracheal tube with the Wiruthan bronchial blocker to determine the advantages of one device over the other during anaesthesia with one-lung ventilation for thoracoscopy. METHODS: Thirty-five patients undergoing VATS were randomly assigned to one of two groups. Sixteen patients received a left-sided double-lumen tube (DLT) and nineteen a Wiruthan bronchial blocker (BB). The BB group was subdivided in two: BB in the right mainstem bronchus (BBR) for right-sided VATS (9 patients), BB in the left mainstem bronchus (BBL) for left-sided VATS (10 patients). The position of the devices was checked using a fibreoptic bronchoscope. The following variables were measured: 1) number of unsuccessful placement attempts; 2) number of malpositions of the devices; 3) time required to place the device in the correct position; 4) number of secondary dislodgements of the devices after turning the patient into the lateral decubitus position. The quality of lung deflation was evaluated by the surgeons who were blinded to the type of tube being used. RESULTS: The number of unsuccessful placement attempts was one in the DLT group (1/16), three in the BBL group (3/10) and none in the BBR group (0/9). The number of malpositions was significantly greater in the BBL group (10/10) compared to the DLT group (2/16) and to the BBR group (1/9) (P<0.001). The time (mean+/-SD) required to place a BBL was 4.21 min+/-1.28, significantly longer than the time required to place a DLT (2.26 min+/-0.55, P<0.0006) or a BBR (2.41 min+/-0.53, P<0.008). The difference in placement time between DLT and BBR was not significant. The number of secondary dislodgements was one in the DLT group, one in the BBR group and none in the BBL group (NS). The quality of lung deflation was judged excellent or fair in all patients in the DLT and the BBL groups and poor in 44% of the patients in the BBR group. CONCLUSION: It took significantly longer to place a left BB than a DLT (P<0.0006) or a right BB (P<0.008). The number of initial malpositionings of the left BB was significantly greater than in the other groups (P<0.001). The quality of lung deflation was better in the BBL and in the DLT groups than in the BBR group. We conclude that for routine use during left-sided VATS, the use of a DLT is preferable to a left BB because of its greater ease of placement. For right-sided VATS, DLT and right BB showed the same facility of placement but the DLT provided a better quality of lung deflation.     

Successful use of i-gel in three patients with difficult intubation and difficult ventilation

I report successful ventilation through the i-gel and tracheal intubation through it, in patients in whom both facemask ventilation and tracheal intubation were difficult. Case 1: A 54-year-old woman, 157 cm, 60 kg, was scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Preoperatively, neither difficult intubation nor difficult mask ventilation was predicted. After induction of anesthesia and neuromuscular blockade, both tracheal intubation and facemask ventilation were difficult. Insertion of a size 3 i-gel allowed adequate ventilation. The i-gel was removed and tracheal intubation was achieved using the Airway Scope. Case 2: In a 32-year-old woman, 162 cm, 46 kg, with predicted difficult intubation (thyromental distance of 4 cm), both tracheal intubation and facemask ventilation were difficult after induction of anesthesia. Insertion of a size 3 i-gel allowed adequate ventilation. Tracheal intubation through the i-gel was successful with the aid of a fibreoptic bronchoscope. Case 3: In a 54-year-old woman, 157 cm, 60 kg, with predicted difficult intubation (thyromental distance of 5 cm), both tracheal intubation and facemask ventilation were difficult after induction of anesthesia. Insertion of a size 3 i-gel allowed adequate ventilation. Fiberoptic tracheal intubation through the i-gel was successful. I feel that the i-gel has a potential role as a rescue device, by allowing ventilation and tracheal intubation in patients with difficult airways.     

The modified Kleinsasser tube: the ideal in difficult intubation

The modified Kleinsasser tube is commonly used for laryngeal tumour diagnosis. The tube has a semilunar cross-section with a radius of 2.5 cm and a diameter of 3 cm. Its lower third contains a cold light lamp placed so that it cannot become covered by blood or tumour masses. After insertion of the endotracheal tube into the patient the Kleinsasser tube is placed at the entrance of the larynx. Operations are done through the inner lumen of the Kleinsasser tube. The Kleinsasser tube has proved a reliable instrument for insertion of endotracheal tubes in patients whose vocal cords could not be seen by ordinary laryngoscopy, e.g. patients with a short neck and unable to recline, with severe hypopharyngeal haemorrhage, with obstruction at the base of the tongue and partial occlusion of the laryngeal entrance by tumour. After introduction the vocal cords may be inspected in their entire length and under bright light the endotracheal tube may be brought safely through the Kleinsasser tube into endotracheal position using Magill forceps as an auxiliary instrument.