title: Assessment and confirmation of tracheal intubation when capnography fails: a novel use for an USB camera.
abstract: A 62 year old male with a right pyriform fossa lesion extending to the right arytenoid and obscuring the glottic inlet was planned for laser assisted excision. Direct laryngoscopic assessment after topicalization of the airway, showed a Cormack Lehane grade 3 view. We report a case where, in the absence of a fiberscope, a novel inexpensive Universal Serial Bus camera was used to obtain an optimal laryngoscopic view. This provided direct visual confirmation of tracheal intubation with a Laser Flex tube, when capnography failed to show any trace. Capnography may not be reliable as a sole indicator of confirmation of correct endotracheal tube placement. Video laryngoscopy may provide additional confirmation of endotracheal intubation.
authors.affiliation: Kasturba Medical College Manipal, Manipal University, Manipal, India.
authors.forename: John George
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Karippacheril
authors.forename: Goneppanavar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Umesh
authors.forename: Shetty
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nanda
mesh_terms: D019296:Capnography / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007012:Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D007828:Laryngoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010781:Photography / Q000379:methods*; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014741:Video Recording / Q000379:methods*
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