title: Sheath-assisted tracheal intubation: a further treatment option for patients with acute dyspnea or asphyxia caused by severe stenosis of the larynx or trachea.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This report details our preliminary results for sheath-assisted tracheal intubation (SATI) for patients with acute dyspnea caused by severe stenoses in the larynx or trachea.
  
  
  METHODS
  Of 289 patients with acute dyspnea who required tracheal intubation in the emergency department of our hospital, 21 who experienced intubation difficulty or failure were entered into this study. Data on technical success, clinical outcome, and complications related to SATI were collected and analyzed retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sheath-assisted tracheal intubation was successful in all patients. Clinical success was observed in all patients 1 to 7 days after the procedure. Tracheal stents or incisions, or both, were performed 1 to 3 days after SATI for all patients, once their general physical condition had improved. During follow-up, acute dyspnea had resolved in all patients. At the time of this report, 18 patients were well, with no dyspnea, but 3 patients had died, 2 of lung cancer and 1 of carcinoma of the larynx.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Shealth-assisted tracheal intubation is a safe and feasible procedure, and may serve as an additional treatment option for patients with acute dyspnea caused by severe stenoses of the larynx or trachea.
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, China.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yong-Dong
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xin-Wei
authors.initials: XW
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xue-Ping
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Peng-Xu
authors.initials: PX
authors.lastname: Ding
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D002423:Cause of Death; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007829:Laryngostenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015607:Stents; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*