Use of a ventilating tube exchanger in patients undergoing tracheostomy: report of two cases.
Two case reports in which a ventilating tube exchanger was used during tracheostomy in patients with potential for difficult reintubation are presented. We recommend leaving the ventilating tube exchanger in place for 48 hours to allow reintubation from above in the event of inadvertent decannulation in cases where difficult intubation is anticipated. Ventilating tube exchangers have been used to assist in the management of difficult airways in a variety of ways. These methods include the use of ventilating tube exchangers as malleable stylets, endotracheal tube exchangers and conduits through which oxygen can be delivered. We present two cases in which a ventilating tube exchanger was used as an adjunct to airway management in a novel fashion.
Ezri
T
T
Department of Anesthesiology, The University of Texas-Houston Medical School, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
Katz
J
J
Szmuk
P
P
Warters
R D
RD
Geva
D
D
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D008297:Male; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000295:instrumentation*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D014139:Tracheostomy