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Anaesthesia Jul 2020We reviewed the literature on management of general and regional anaesthesia in pregnant women with anticipated airway difficulty. We identified 138 publications... (Review)
Review
We reviewed the literature on management of general and regional anaesthesia in pregnant women with anticipated airway difficulty. We identified 138 publications comprising 158 cases; these either described equipment or techniques for the provision of general anaesthesia, or the management of women with regional analgesia or anaesthesia, with the aim of avoiding general anaesthesia. Most of the former group described women requiring caesarean section alone, or in combination with other surgery, which was sometimes airway-related. Management techniques were largely similar to those in non-obstetric patients requiring surgery who have airway difficulties, although suggested differences related to physiological changes of pregnancy and avoidance of nasal intubation. In the reports discussing regional anaesthesia, consideration was often given to the possible requirement for urgent out-of-hours anaesthetic intervention, and the predicted difficulty of management of general anaesthesia should it be required. In a number of reported cases, multidisciplinary planning led to the conclusion that elective caesarean section should be performed in order to avoid emergency airway management. Based on this literature review, we advise antenatal planning that includes: assessment of the patient's clinical characteristics; consideration of the equipment and personnel available to provide safe airway management out-of-hours; and elective caesarean section should these be lacking. If general anaesthesia is required, a risk assessment must be made as to the probability of safe airway management after the induction of anaesthesia, and awake tracheal intubation should be used if this cannot be assured. Decision aids are provided to illustrate these points. Online appendices include a comprehensive compendium of case reports on the management of a number of rare syndromes and airway conditions.
Topics: Airway Management; Analgesia, Epidural; Analgesia, Obstetrical; Anesthesia, General; Anesthesia, Obstetrical; Cesarean Section; Female; Humans; Intubation, Intratracheal; Pregnancy; Tracheostomy
PubMed: 32144770
DOI: 10.1111/anae.15007 -
European Journal of Anaesthesiology Jan 2024Airway management is required during general anaesthesia and is essential for life-threatening conditions such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Evidence from recent...
Airway management is required during general anaesthesia and is essential for life-threatening conditions such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Evidence from recent trials indicates a high incidence of critical events during airway management, especially in neonates or infants. It is important to define the optimal techniques and strategies for airway management in these groups. In this joint European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC) and British Journal of Anaesthesia (BJA) guideline on airway management in neonates and infants, we present aggregated and evidence-based recommendations to assist clinicians in providing safe and effective medical care. We identified seven main areas of interest for airway management: i) preoperative assessment and preparation; ii) medications; iii) techniques and algorithms; iv) identification and treatment of difficult airways; v) confirmation of tracheal intubation; vi) tracheal extubation, and vii) human factors. Based on these areas, Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes (PICO) questions were derived that guided a structured literature search. GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) methodology was used to formulate the recommendations based on those studies included with consideration of their methodological quality (strong '1' or weak '2' recommendation with high 'A', medium 'B' or low 'C' quality of evidence). In summary, we recommend: 1. Use medical history and physical examination to predict difficult airway management (1С). 2. Ensure adequate level of sedation or general anaesthesia during airway management (1B). 3. Administer neuromuscular blocker before tracheal intubation when spontaneous breathing is not necessary (1С). 4. Use a videolaryngoscope with an age-adapted standard blade as first choice for tracheal intubation (1B). 5. Apply apnoeic oxygenation during tracheal intubation in neonates (1B). 6. Consider a supraglottic airway for rescue oxygenation and ventilation when tracheal intubation fails (1B). 7. Limit the number of tracheal intubation attempts (1C). 8. Use a stylet to reinforce and preshape tracheal tubes when hyperangulated videolaryngoscope blades are used and when the larynx is anatomically anterior (1C). 9. Verify intubation is successful with clinical assessment and end-tidal CO 2 waveform (1C). 10. Apply high-flow nasal oxygenation, continuous positive airway pressure or nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation for postextubation respiratory support, when appropriate (1B).
Topics: Infant, Newborn; Infant; Humans; Anesthesiology; Airway Management; Intubation, Intratracheal; Anesthesia, General; Critical Care
PubMed: 38018248
DOI: 10.1097/EJA.0000000000001928 -
JAMA Aug 2018The optimal approach to airway management during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is unknown. (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of a Strategy of a Supraglottic Airway Device vs Tracheal Intubation During Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest on Functional Outcome: The AIRWAYS-2 Randomized Clinical Trial.
IMPORTANCE
The optimal approach to airway management during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is unknown.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether a supraglottic airway device (SGA) is superior to tracheal intubation (TI) as the initial advanced airway management strategy in adults with nontraumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
Multicenter, cluster randomized clinical trial of paramedics from 4 ambulance services in England responding to emergencies for approximately 21 million people. Patients aged 18 years or older who had a nontraumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and were treated by a participating paramedic were enrolled automatically under a waiver of consent between June 2015 and August 2017; follow-up ended in February 2018.
INTERVENTIONS
Paramedics were randomized 1:1 to use TI (764 paramedics) or SGA (759 paramedics) as their initial advanced airway management strategy.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The primary outcome was modified Rankin Scale score at hospital discharge or 30 days after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, whichever occurred sooner. Modified Rankin Scale score was divided into 2 ranges: 0-3 (good outcome) or 4-6 (poor outcome; 6 = death). Secondary outcomes included ventilation success, regurgitation, and aspiration.
RESULTS
A total of 9296 patients (4886 in the SGA group and 4410 in the TI group) were enrolled (median age, 73 years; 3373 were women [36.3%]), and the modified Rankin Scale score was known for 9289 patients. In the SGA group, 311 of 4882 patients (6.4%) had a good outcome (modified Rankin Scale score range, 0-3) vs 300 of 4407 patients (6.8%) in the TI group (adjusted risk difference [RD], -0.6% [95% CI, -1.6% to 0.4%]). Initial ventilation was successful in 4255 of 4868 patients (87.4%) in the SGA group compared with 3473 of 4397 patients (79.0%) in the TI group (adjusted RD, 8.3% [95% CI, 6.3% to 10.2%]). However, patients randomized to receive TI were less likely to receive advanced airway management (3419 of 4404 patients [77.6%] vs 4161 of 4883 patients [85.2%] in the SGA group). Two of the secondary outcomes (regurgitation and aspiration) were not significantly different between groups (regurgitation: 1268 of 4865 patients [26.1%] in the SGA group vs 1072 of 4372 patients [24.5%] in the TI group; adjusted RD, 1.4% [95% CI, -0.6% to 3.4%]; aspiration: 729 of 4824 patients [15.1%] vs 647 of 4337 patients [14.9%], respectively; adjusted RD, 0.1% [95% CI, -1.5% to 1.8%]).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
Among patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, randomization to a strategy of advanced airway management with a supraglottic airway device compared with tracheal intubation did not result in a favorable functional outcome at 30 days.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ISRCTN Identifier: 08256118.
Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Airway Management; Allied Health Personnel; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; England; Female; Glottis; Humans; Intubation, Intratracheal; Male; Middle Aged; Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest; Survival Rate; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 30167701
DOI: 10.1001/jama.2018.11597 -
Anaesthesia Nov 2015The Obstetric Anaesthetists' Association and Difficult Airway Society have developed the first national obstetric guidelines for the safe management of difficult and...
The Obstetric Anaesthetists' Association and Difficult Airway Society have developed the first national obstetric guidelines for the safe management of difficult and failed tracheal intubation during general anaesthesia. They comprise four algorithms and two tables. A master algorithm provides an overview. Algorithm 1 gives a framework on how to optimise a safe general anaesthetic technique in the obstetric patient, and emphasises: planning and multidisciplinary communication; how to prevent the rapid oxygen desaturation seen in pregnant women by advocating nasal oxygenation and mask ventilation immediately after induction; limiting intubation attempts to two; and consideration of early release of cricoid pressure if difficulties are encountered. Algorithm 2 summarises the management after declaring failed tracheal intubation with clear decision points, and encourages early insertion of a (preferably second-generation) supraglottic airway device if appropriate. Algorithm 3 covers the management of the 'can't intubate, can't oxygenate' situation and emergency front-of-neck airway access, including the necessity for timely perimortem caesarean section if maternal oxygenation cannot be achieved. Table 1 gives a structure for assessing the individual factors relevant in the decision to awaken or proceed should intubation fail, which include: urgency related to maternal or fetal factors; seniority of the anaesthetist; obesity of the patient; surgical complexity; aspiration risk; potential difficulty with provision of alternative anaesthesia; and post-induction airway device and airway patency. This decision should be considered by the team in advance of performing a general anaesthetic to make a provisional plan should failed intubation occur. The table is also intended to be used as a teaching tool to facilitate discussion and learning regarding the complex nature of decision-making when faced with a failed intubation. Table 2 gives practical considerations of how to awaken or proceed with surgery. The background paper covers recommendations on drugs, new equipment, teaching and training.
Topics: Airway Management; Algorithms; Anesthesiology; Female; Humans; Intubation, Intratracheal; Laryngeal Masks; Obstetrics; Pregnancy; Societies, Medical
PubMed: 26449292
DOI: 10.1111/anae.13260 -
JAMA Aug 2018Emergency medical services (EMS) commonly perform endotracheal intubation (ETI) or insertion of supraglottic airways, such as the laryngeal tube (LT), on patients with... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of a Strategy of Initial Laryngeal Tube Insertion vs Endotracheal Intubation on 72-Hour Survival in Adults With Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Randomized Clinical Trial.
IMPORTANCE
Emergency medical services (EMS) commonly perform endotracheal intubation (ETI) or insertion of supraglottic airways, such as the laryngeal tube (LT), on patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). The optimal method for OHCA advanced airway management is unknown.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effectiveness of a strategy of initial LT insertion vs initial ETI in adults with OHCA.
DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
Multicenter pragmatic cluster-crossover clinical trial involving EMS agencies from the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium. The trial included 3004 adults with OHCA and anticipated need for advanced airway management who were enrolled from December 1, 2015, to November 4, 2017. The final date of follow-up was November 10, 2017.
INTERVENTIONS
Twenty-seven EMS agencies were randomized in 13 clusters to initial airway management strategy with LT (n = 1505 patients) or ETI (n = 1499 patients), with crossover to the alternate strategy at 3- to 5-month intervals.
MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES
The primary outcome was 72-hour survival. Secondary outcomes included return of spontaneous circulation, survival to hospital discharge, favorable neurological status at hospital discharge (Modified Rankin Scale score ≤3), and key adverse events.
RESULTS
Among 3004 enrolled patients (median [interquartile range] age, 64 [53-76] years, 1829 [60.9%] men), 3000 were included in the primary analysis. Rates of initial airway success were 90.3% with LT and 51.6% with ETI. Seventy-two hour survival was 18.3% in the LT group vs 15.4% in the ETI group (adjusted difference, 2.9% [95% CI, 0.2%-5.6%]; P = .04). Secondary outcomes in the LT group vs ETI group were return of spontaneous circulation (27.9% vs 24.3%; adjusted difference, 3.6% [95% CI, 0.3%-6.8%]; P = .03); hospital survival (10.8% vs 8.1%; adjusted difference, 2.7% [95% CI, 0.6%-4.8%]; P = .01); and favorable neurological status at discharge (7.1% vs 5.0%; adjusted difference, 2.1% [95% CI, 0.3%-3.8%]; P = .02). There were no significant differences in oropharyngeal or hypopharyngeal injury (0.2% vs 0.3%), airway swelling (1.1% vs 1.0%), or pneumonia or pneumonitis (26.1% vs 22.3%).
CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE
Among adults with OHCA, a strategy of initial LT insertion was associated with significantly greater 72-hour survival compared with a strategy of initial ETI. These findings suggest that LT insertion may be considered as an initial airway management strategy in patients with OHCA, but limitations of the pragmatic design, practice setting, and ETI performance characteristics suggest that further research is warranted.
TRIAL REGISTRATION
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02419573.
Topics: Aged; Airway Management; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; Cross-Over Studies; Female; Humans; Intubation, Intratracheal; Larynx; Male; Middle Aged; Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest; Survival Rate; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 30167699
DOI: 10.1001/jama.2018.7044 -
British Journal of Anaesthesia Jul 2020
Topics: Airway Management; Emergencies; Humans; Trachea
PubMed: 32402374
DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2020.04.008 -
Acta Clinica Croatica Apr 2023Neurosurgical patients have specific airway management. Various conditions and diagnoses make intubation difficult and may also cause neurological damage. Spinal... (Review)
Review
Neurosurgical patients have specific airway management. Various conditions and diagnoses make intubation difficult and may also cause neurological damage. Spinal pathology, neurotrauma, cervical spine surgery, and pituitary gland surgery are just some examples. The aim of this review article is to present a broad spectrum of neurosurgical operations and potential complications in maintaining airway patency related to these issues. Quality perioperative preparation is a prerequisite to avoid the potentially irreversible consequences of difficult airways with a poor neurological or even fatal outcome. Patients with tumors of the pituitary region who present with Cushing's disease are prone to difficult ventilation, tracheal obstruction and difficult intubation. Awake craniotomy is also a challenge for the anesthesiologist, given that access to the airway is problematic due to the fixed frame. Unstable cervical spine occurs in cases of rheumatoid arthritis or blunt trauma, requiring precautions to be taken with spinal stabilization during intubation and induction. Pharyngeal edema and hematomas, possible complications of cervical spine surgery can endanger airway patency after extubation; postoperative patient supervision is thus required. Due to the potential threat to the patient's airway during neurosurgical procedures, quality anesthetic preoperative preparation is necessary to avoid irreversible damage and death.
Topics: Humans; Airway Management; Neurosurgical Procedures; Anesthesia; Intubation, Intratracheal; Neuroanesthesia
PubMed: 38746598
DOI: 10.20471/acc.2023.62.s1.15 -
British Journal of Anaesthesia Sep 2016
Topics: Airway Management; Anesthesia, General; Humans; Quality Improvement
PubMed: 27566787
DOI: 10.1093/bja/aew220 -
British Journal of Anaesthesia Dec 2022Patients worldwide die every year from unrecognised oesophageal intubation, which is an avoidable complication of airway management usually resulting from human error.... (Review)
Review
Patients worldwide die every year from unrecognised oesophageal intubation, which is an avoidable complication of airway management usually resulting from human error. Unrecognised oesophageal intubation can occur in any patient of any age whenever intubation occurs regardless of the seniority or experience of the airway practitioner or others involved in the patient's airway management. The tragic fact is that it continues to happen despite improvements in monitoring, airway devices, and medical education. We review these improvements with strategies to eliminate this problem.
Topics: Humans; Intubation, Intratracheal; Esophagus; Airway Management
PubMed: 36192220
DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2022.08.027 -
Acta Clinica Croatica Apr 2023Anatomic and physiologic changes during pregnancy make it more difficult to establish a safe airway in pregnant women in case of the need for surgery under general... (Review)
Review
Anatomic and physiologic changes during pregnancy make it more difficult to establish a safe airway in pregnant women in case of the need for surgery under general anesthesia than in the non-obstetric population. The inability to ventilate and oxygenate is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality associated with general anesthesia for cesarean section. The aim of this paper is to present and analyze modern guidelines and algorithms for the management of difficult airway in obstetrics as an important segment of anesthesiology practice. Modern difficult airway management guidelines for pregnant women describe the procedure of difficult facemask ventilation, difficult airway management by using supraglottic devices, difficult endotracheal intubation, and emergency cricothyrotomy or tracheotomy in a situation where oxygenation and ventilation are impossible. Algorithms describe the procedures and equipment for each variant of difficult airway and decision-making strategies in situations when neither airway nor adequate oxygenation can be provided. Croatian anesthesiologists in most obstetric departments have appropriate equipment, as well as necessary experience in difficult airway management for pregnant women, and modern algorithms from the most developed countries can be adopted and accommodated to our daily practice, as well as incorporated into the training curricula of residents.
Topics: Humans; Airway Management; Pregnancy; Female; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Intubation, Intratracheal; Algorithms; Anesthesia, Obstetrical; Obstetrics
PubMed: 38746607
DOI: 10.20471/acc.2023.62.s1.10