Emergency endotracheal intubation under fluoroscopy guidance for patients with acute dyspnea or asphyxia.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of emergency endotracheal intubation (EEI) under fluoroscopy guidance for patients with acute dyspnea or asphyxia.


METHODS
From October 2011 to October 2014, of 1521 patients with acute dyspnea or asphyxia who required EEI in 6 departments, 43 patients who experienced intubation difficulty or failure were entered into this study. Data on technical success, procedure time, complications, and clinical outcome were collected. The pulse oxygen saturation and Hugh-Jones classification changes were analyzed.


RESULTS
Fluoroscopy-guided EEI was technically successful in all patients. Acute dyspnea had resolved in all patients with clinical success rate 100% after the procedure. There were no serious complications during or after the procedure. The pulse oxygen saturation and Hugh-Jones classification showed significant increase after EEI (P < .05). Further treatments, including tracheal stents (n = 21), surgical resection (n = 16), palliative tracheotomy (n = 4), and bronchoscopic treatment (n = 2), were performed 1 to 72 hours after EEI. During a mean follow-up period of 13.2 months, 13 patients had died and 30 patients remained alive without dyspnea.


CONCLUSIONS
Fluoroscopy-guided EEI is a safe and feasible procedure, and may serve as an alternative treatment option for patients when traditional EEI is unsuccessful.
Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China.
Dechao
D
Jiao
Department of neurology, Anyang District Hospital, Puyang City, Henan province, People's Republic of China.
Na
N
Xie
Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: 13592583911@163.com.
Xinwei
X
Han
Department of Interventional Radiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, People's Republic of China.
Gang
G
Wu
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001237:Asphyxia / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D004630:Emergencies; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy; D006469:Hemoptysis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D010092:Oximetry; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000209:etiology; D055815:Young Adult
D010100:Oxygen