The pharyngeo-tracheal lumen airway: an assessment of airway control in the setting of upper airway hemorrhage.
Aspiration of blood from nasal and upper airway injuries is a common problem in trauma patients. The pharyngeo-tracheal lumen (PTL) airway uses a large balloon to occlude the oropharynx. We conducted a postmortem radiographic evaluation of the PTL airway's ability to control simulated upper airway hemorrhage using a barium solution. The PTL airway was inserted in ten patients and the barium solution was instilled in the nose until it was full. Radiographs were taken to determine the extent of containment of the radiopaque liquid. The PTL airway successfully controlled the simulated upper airway hemorrhage in nine of the ten cases studied including one patient with a cleft palate. There was leakage in the tenth case due to a balloon leak. The PTL airway may be the prehospital airway of choice in trauma patients due to its ability to control upper airway hemorrhage, but it requires further clinical testing.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004630:Emergencies; D004947:Esophagus; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007440:Intubation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010614:Pharynx; D011859:Radiography; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000150:complications