Management of the difficult airway remains one of the most relevant and challenging tasks for anesthesia care providers. This review focuses on several of the alternative airway management devices/techniques and their clinical applications, with particular emphasis on the difficult or failed airway.
CASE A 22-year-old man was brought to the ED complaining of abdominal pain after a rollover motor vehicle accident. He was the front seat passenger and was wearing a seat belt. Although he was trapped in the vehicle and it caught on fire, he did not suffer any cutaneous burns. History The patient's past medical history was significant for attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. He admitted to using tobacco and alcohol socially, but denied illicit drug use. He denied any medication use or drug allergies. A review of systems was positive for complaints of abdominal pain and anxiety. Physical examination The patient's vital signs were: BP, 112/51 mm Hg; heart rate, 110 beats/minute; respirations, 23; SpO 2 , 95% on room air; and temperature, 37.4° C (99.3° F). On ED arrival, he was awake, alert, and oriented but appeared anxious and agitated. His pupils were equal, round, and reactive to light. His head was normocephalic with a 2-cm laceration on the left ear. The pati...
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