Anesthesia and analgesia
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 2007
ReviewContinuous airway access for the difficult extubation: the efficacy of the airway exchange catheter.
The American Society of Anesthesiologists Task Force on the Management of the Difficult Airway regards the concept of an extubation strategy as a logical extension of the intubation process, although the literature does not provide a sufficient basis for evaluating the merits of an extubation strategy. Use of an airway exchange catheter (AEC) to maintain access to the airway has been reported on only a limited basis. ⋯ Maintaining continuous access to the airway postextubation via an AEC can be an important component of an extubation strategy in selected difficult airway patients. The indwelling AEC appears to increase the first-pass success rate in patients with known or suspected difficult airways and decrease the incidence of complications in patients intolerant of extubation and requiring tracheal reintubation.
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Anesthesia and analgesia · Nov 2007
Review Case ReportsPain management in a patient with intractable spinal cord injury pain: a case report and literature review.
Chronic pain is one of the more disturbing sequelae of spinal cord injury, often interfering with the basic activities, effective rehabilitation, and quality of life of the patient. Pain in the cord-injured patient is often recalcitrant to treatment. ⋯ We present a patient with intractable spinal cord injury pain who was successfully treated with a pain management plan that addressed the various aspects of spinal cord injury pain. The evidence for treatment options is reviewed.