Journal of anesthesia
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Journal of anesthesia · Aug 2012
Comparative StudyThe learning curve for laryngoscopy: Airtraq versus Macintosh laryngoscopes.
Airtraq use by inexperienced personnel has been evaluated in simulator studies, but little is known about the learning process in real patients. This prospective study was designed to compare learning curves for laryngoscopy with the Airtraq or Macintosh laryngoscopes in patients under general anesthesia. ⋯ Students achieved higher success rates using the Airtraq laryngoscope during early training on live patients. The Airtraq may be a useful choice for teaching advanced airway management, especially to professionals who will not perform laryngoscopy on a regular basis.
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Journal of anesthesia · Aug 2012
Prediction of optimal endotracheal tube cuff volume from tracheal diameter and from patient height and age: a prospective cohort trial.
Endotracheal tube intra-cuff pressure should be maintained between 20 and 30 cmH(2)O to prevent damage to the tracheal wall. However, cuff pressure is rarely measured, and clinicians estimate cuff pressure poorly. The goal of the present study was to predict the cuff volume that produces optimal cuff pressure either from tracheal diameter or from patient height and age. ⋯ Optimal cuff volume was better estimated from tracheal diameter and patient height and age than from the manual palpation method.