title: Good airway reflexes and normal sensorium do not assure safe tracheal extubation in patients with cerebral hemispheric pathology.
abstract: Following brain injury, return of consciousness and cough reflex are presumed to be associated with safe airway. We describe two patients who had a normal cough reflex, but impaired swallowing, which led to prolonged hospital stay. This report highlights the dissociation between the cough reflex and swallowing function in such patients.
authors: Department of Neuroanaesthesia, National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, India. drsri23@rediff mail.com
authors: Kamath
authors: K
authors: Sriganesh
authors: Vimala
authors: V
authors: Smita
authors: Sonia
authors: S
authors: Bansal
authors: G S Umamaheswara
authors: GS
authors: Rao
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology*; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000601:surgery; D003243:Consciousness / Q000502:physiology*; D003371:Cough / Q000503:physiopathology; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000601:surgery; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology*; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult