title: Dexmedetomidine as sole sedative for awake intubation in management of the critical airway.
abstract: We report a series of successful awake fiberoptic intubations in patients with critical (unstable, difficult) airways using the alpha(2)-agonist, dexmedetomidine. Dexmedetomidine has several desirable pharmacologic properties, including sedation, anxiolysis, hypnosis, analgesia, amnesia, antisialagogue effects, and a unique respiratory-sparing effect. Dexmedetomidine appears to be a useful agent for sedation during awake fiberoptic intubation in difficult airway patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Anesthesiology, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA. abdelmb@ccf.org
authors.forename: Basem
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Abdelmalak
authors.forename: Laila
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Makary
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hoban
authors.forename: D John
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Doyle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000150:complications*; D016292:Procedural Sedation / Q000379:methods*; D020927:Dexmedetomidine; D005260:Female; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014851:Wakefulness
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D020927:Dexmedetomidine