Chest
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The esophageal obturator airway (EOA) has been considered a useful ventilatory technique for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, but quantitative analysis of its clinical effectiveness is not available. We evaluated the EOA in 18 patients who had suffered prehospital cardiac arrest and who were resuscitated by mobile intensive care unit paramedics employing an EOA. Arterial blood gas determinations were obtained during ventilation with the EOA and then repeated after endotracheal intubation. ⋯ A PaO2 greater than 77 mm Hg was achieved in three of six patients still requiring external cardiac massage. There was little or no improvement in oxygenation after endotracheal intubation, implying that the failures to oxygenate were not due to the EOA. We conclude that the EOA is a useful adjunct during cardiopulmonary resuscitation when endotracheal intubation is not feasible.
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Three instances of intense laryngospasm and bronchospasm occurred as a result of fiberoptic bronchoscopic examination in three patients with quiescent bronchial asthma. The indications for the procedure were hemoptysis in one patient and lobar collapse in two. ⋯ Therefore, in the asthmatic population with its increased airway reactivity, indications for fiberoptic bronchoscopy should be absolute, and the procedure should be performed under optimal conditions. A rationale for minimizing the risk of this procedure in patients with bronchial asthma is discussed.
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We compared 11 patients with upper airway obstruction (obstruction at or proximal to the carina) to 22 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and to 15 normal subjects utilizing spirometry, lung volumes, airway resistance, maximal voluntary ventilation, single-breath diffusion capacity, and maximal inspiratory and expiratory flow-volume loops. Four values usually distinguished patients with upper airway obstruction: (1) forced inspiratory flow at 50 percent of the vital capacity (FIF50%) less than or equal to 100 L/min; (2) ratio of forced expiratory flow at 50 percent of the vital capacity of the FIR50% (FEF50%/FIF50%) larger than or equal to 1; (3) ratio of the forced expiratory volume in one second measured in milliliters to the peak expiratory flow rate in liters per minute (FEV1/PEFR) larger than or equal to 10 ml/L/min; and (4) ratio of the forced expired volume in one second to the forced expired volume in 0.5 second (FEV1/FEV0.5) larger than or equal to 1.5. The last ratio can be determined with a simple spirometer.