Mental nerve neuropraxia associated with tracheal intubation using an RAE tube.

Editor,—We are grateful for the opportunity to respond. The first point made was that we cannot conclude that this induction technique was clinically safe. We would disagree with this and use the evidence that none of our subjects was adversely affected clinically by the temporary decrease in arterial pressure. The second point was the exact timing after intubation of our measurement of arterial pressure. This was performed 60 s after intubation and was recorded at this time in an effort to show the maximum demonstrable decrease in arterial pressure. As one would expect from the pharmacokinetics of remifentanil, 5 or 10 min after intubation, arterial pressure had returned to baseline.