The oesophageal obturator airway: A study of cadaver lund ventilation through obturator airways and tracheal tubes.
Ventilation of cadaver lungs using a Pneupac ventilator through oesophageal obturator airways (EOA), oesophageal gastric tube airways (EGTA), and tracheal tubes was studied in 23 subjects. The mean tidal volume obtained through tracheal tubes was 381 ml compared with a mean tidal volume of 156 ml obtained through the EOA and a mean tidal volume of 237 ml through the EGTA. Considerable leakage occurred at the pressure relief valve of the ventilator and at the face mask. With the pressure relief valve occluded and better mask fit achieved by observation of maximum possible tidal volume, the mean tidal volume obtained through obturator gastric airways was 606 ml compared with 906 ml obtained through tracheal tubes. This represents adequate ventilation in these very stiff lungs. Subject to modification of the device and prevention of leakage the oesophageal gastric tube airway is a useful alternative to tracheal intubation in certain adverse conditions.
D000368:Aged; D002102:Cadaver; D004947:Esophagus; D006801:Humans; D007440:Intubation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D008875:Middle Aged; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D013990:Tidal Volume