Objective: The use of a T-tube to manage complex laryngotracheal lesions, such as tracheal stenosis, tracheomalacia and tracheal injury, has previously been reported by other surgeons in the past. However, further validation of clinical details, including operative management and postoperative care, is needed. Methods: From January 1991 to May 2000, 53 patients, including 24 with post-tracheost...

We studied the effect of pilot balloon design on the ability of experienced anaesthetists to assess and inflate tracheal tube cuffs to safe pressures. A model trachea was designed, incorporating a degree of compliance and an air leak, to evaluate six different pilot balloons grafted onto identical tracheal tubes. Pilot balloons were inflated to one of four pressures and anaesthetists were asked...

OBJECTIVE To review current concepts related to the procedure of tracheal intubation in children. SOURCES Relevant articles published from 1968 to 2006 were selected from the MEDLINE, LILACS and SciELO databases, using the keywords intubation, tracheal intubation, child, rapid sequence intubation and pediatric airway. SUMMARY OF THE FINDINGS Airway management in children is related to their...

Background: It is unknown whether measuring endotracheal tube cuff pressure can accurately confirm tracheal intubation. Animal and human cadaveric studies show conflicting results. In anesthetized patients, we tested the hypothesis that the pressurevolume characteristics of the cuff located in the trachea would differ from that measured in the esophagus potentially making cuff pressure a useful...

Because microaspiration of contaminated supraglottic secretions past the endotracheal tube cuff is considered to be central in the pathogenesis of pneumonia, improved design of tracheal tubes with new cuff material and shape have reduced the size and number of folds, which together with the addition of suction ports above the cuff to drain pooled subglottic secretions leads to reduced aspiratio...

This study involved 154 anesthetized patients requiring endotracheal intubation, in whom the epiglottis was visible but not lifted, which restricted the view of the glottis. A simple stylet was used to lift the epiglottis, thus improving the view of the glottis with the Glide Scope®, allowing tracheal tubes to be inserted into the patients. The stylet easily resolved the difficulty of lifting t...