Articles: intubation.
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Anaesth Intensive Care · Nov 1987
The position of the larynx in children and its relationship to the ease of intubation.
Lateral radiographs of the upper airway of children aged from birth to puberty were used to determine the changes in position, with growth, of the tip of the epiglottis, the hyoid, the glottis, and the inferior margin of the cricoid cartilage. There is a marked descent of these structures relative to the cervical spine during the first two years of life. ⋯ In adults the best view is obtained with the atlanto-occipital joint fully extended and the head resting on a low pillow. Anatomical explanations for these observations are presented.
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The frequency histograms of six patients' laryngographs were studied pre- and post-endotracheal intubation. The changes were correlated with the length of intubation. ⋯ The latter change was thought to be a subconscious compensation for the hoarseness. The increased lower frequency spread as measured by standard deviation was directly proportional to the length of intubation.