Canadian journal of anaesthesia = Journal canadien d'anesthésie
-
Practice Guideline
The difficult airway with recommendations for management - Part 2 - The anticipated difficult airway.
Appropriate planning is crucial to avoid morbidity and mortality when difficulty is anticipated with airway management. Many guidelines developed by national societies have focused on management of difficulty encountered in the unconscious patient; however, little guidance appears in the literature on how best to approach the patient with an anticipated difficult airway. ⋯ With an appropriate airway evaluation and consideration of relevant contextual issues, a rational decision can be made on whether an awake approach to tracheal intubation will maximize patient safety or if airway management can safely proceed after induction of general anesthesia. With predicted difficulty, close attention should be paid to details of implementing the chosen approach. This should include having a plan in case of the failure of tracheal intubation or patient oxygenation.
-
The complexity of neurosurgical procedures and their interactions with maternal and fetal physiologies are key factors in determining the overall maternal and fetal outcome. The literature and guidelines provide only partial information regarding the standard of care in these cases. The purpose of this Continuing Professional Development module is to review the issues related to common neurosurgical conditions and their optimal anesthetic management. ⋯ A multidisciplinary approach with good communication amongst all team members certainly plays a crucial role for successful management of such cases.