Izazovi opstetricijske anestezije: otežana vizualizacija larinksa

Obstetric anesthesia is one of the high risk subspecialties of anesthesia practice. Anesthesia related complications are the sixth leading cause of maternal mortality. Difficult or failed intubation following induction of general anesthesia for CS remains the major contributory factor to anesthesia-related maternal complications. The airway management of obstetric patients is a challenging issue for several reasons. Anatomic and physiologic changes related to pregnancy may increase the difficult and failed intubation rates compared to the general surgical population. Proper evaluation of the airway anatomy and airway structures is vital to prevent airway management related catastrophes. In addition to basic airway and intubation equipment, each anesthesia department must have difficult intubation equipment cart including fiber optic laryngoscope, video laryngoscopes, and different types of laryngeal masks. It is essential that all anesthesiologists have a preconceived and well thought-out algorithm and emergency airway equipment to deal with airway emergencies during difficult or failed intubation of a parturient.Opstetricijska anestezija je visokorizična anesteziološka supspecijalnost. Komplikacije vezane uz anesteziju su šesti vodeći uzrok majčine smrtnosti. Otežana ili nemoguća intubacija nakon uvoda u opću anesteziju je glavni čimbenik koji doprinosi komplikacijama vezanim uz anesteziju rodilja. Zbrinjavanje dišnoga puta u rodilja je izazov iz više razloga. Anatomske i fiziološke promjene u trudnoći povećavaju učestalost otežane i nemoguće intubacije u odnosu na opću kiruršku populaciju. Zadovoljavajuća evaluacija anatomije dišnoga puta i dišnih struktura je životno važna da bi se spriječile katastrofe vezane uz zbrinjavanje dišnoga puta. Uz osnovnu opremu za dišni put i intubaciju svaki anesteziološki odjel mora imati kolica s opremom za otežani dišni put koja uključuju fiberoptički laringoskop, videolaringoskop i različite vrste laringealnih maski. Nužno je da svi anesteziolozi imaju unaprijed osmišljene i dobro razrađene algoritme i opremu za hitno zbrinjavanje dišnoga puta kako bi postupali s hitnoćama dišnoga puta u otežanoj ili nemogućoj intubaciji rodilja

Challenges of Obstetric Anesthesia: Difficult Laryngeal Visualization

Obstetric anesthesia is one of the high risk subspecialties of anesthesia practice. Anesthesia related complications are the sixth leading cause of maternal mortality. Difficult or failed intubation following induction of general anesthesia for CS remains the major contributory factor to anesthesia-related maternal complications. The airway management of obstetric patients is a challenging issue for several reasons. Anatomic and physiologic changes related to pregnancy may increase the difficult and failed intubation rates compared to the general surgical population. Proper evaluation of the airway anatomy and airway structures is vital to prevent airway management related catastrophes. In addition to basic airway and intubation equipment, each anesthesia department must have difficult intubation equipment cart including fiber optic laryngoscope, video laryngoscopes, and different types of laryngeal masks. It is essential that all anesthesiologists have a preconceived and well thought-out algorithm and emergency airway equipment to deal with airway emergencies during difficult or failed intubation of a parturient

WHAT ABOUT COMPRESSING THE OESOPHAGUS WITH AN ULTRASOUND PROBE FOR A MODIFIED SELLICK MANOEUVRE?

OBJECTIVE: Debates continue about the cricoid pressure, which has been used for many years to prevent gastric aspiration during intubation. Using ultrasound, the effects of this maneuver and alternatives like paralaryngeal pressure are revealed. The aim of this observational study was to determine the effect of paralaryngeal pressure with an ultrasound probe on the oesophageal diameter in patients with different body mass indexes and neck circumferences. METHODS: After measuring the neck circumference at the level of the cricoid cartilage, the oesophagus was visualized by ultrasonography. Compression was applied medially at a 45° angle toward the vertebral column by the ultrasound probe and oesophageal anteroposterior outer diameters were measured. Correlations between body mass index, neck circumference, oesophageal diameter, and oesophageal diameter change ratio were evaluated with Pearson’s r value. RESULTS: One hundred ten volunteers (52 women and 58 men) with mean age 33.7 ± 8.02 years and mean body mass index 25.6 ± 4.65 kg m(−2) were recruited. The oesophagus was located 78.18% partially to the left, 4.54% completely to the left, 1.81% to the right of the cricoid ring. In 15.45%, oesophagus could not be displayed. The mean diameter of the oesophagus was 7.6 ± 1.1 mm before pressure and 5.6 ± 0.09 mm after pressure (P .05). However, weak correlation was found between diameter change percentage and neck circumference (r = −0.33; P = .016). CONCLUSIONS: Paralaryngeal pressure with an ultrasound probe has the potential to occlude the oesophagus and may be effective in all patient groups

What About Compressing the Oesophagus with an Ultrasound Probe for a Modified Sellick Maneuver?

Objective: Debates continue about the cricoid pressure, which has been used for many years to prevent gastric aspiration during intubation. Using ultrasound, the effects of this maneuver and alternatives like paralaryngeal pressure are revealed. The aim of this observational study was to determine the effect of paralaryngeal pressure with an ultrasound probe on the oesophageal diameter in patients with different body mass indexes and neck circumferences