Occlusion of a wire-reinforced endotracheal tube in an almost completely edentulous patient.
Wire-reinforced endotracheal tubes have been advocated for use where endotracheal tube kinking is a risk. We report on a 79-year-old nearly edentulous male patient in a weakened state who managed to partially obstruct a wire-reinforced endotracheal tube, despite the presence of a soft bite block. The risk of kinking wire-reinforced endotracheal tubes is not mitigated simply because the patient is edentulous. Good monitoring, vigilance by providers and the use of a solid bite block remains critical in the care of these patients.
Haas
Richard E
RE
Nursing Anesthesia Program Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA 30912, USA.
Kervin
Matthew W
MW
Ramos
Paula
P
Brown
Jerry
J
D000368:Aged; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007575:Jaw, Edentulous; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008297:Male