laryngoscopy/endotracheal intubation Flashcards
What is the gold standard of airway management
Endotracheal intubation
Tubes are numbered according to their
Internal diameter
What are ETT constructed of
Polyvinyl choliride (pvc)
What is the body that governs the construction of ETTs
ASTM standard 21
American society of testing and materials
Size selection and depth of ETT insertion for men
8.0 or 9.0 at 24-26 at lip
Size selection and depth of ETT insertion for women
7.0 or 8.0 at 20-22 at lip
Size selection and depth of ETT insertion for children
Size: 4 + age/4
Depth: 12 + age/2
So for a 12 year old you would choose 7.0 to 18cm
**later slide - in children, advance tube until 2nd dark line on distal tube sits at or just below cords
What lowers resistance of a tube
Shorter tube
Wider tube *** most important factor is internal diameter of the tube
What is the purpose of the Murphy’s eye?
To allow for another path of air flow in case of distal occlusion
***don’t put stylet below level of murpy’s eye
What is the purpose of the pilot balloon
Helps you to gauge the pressure/air in the cuff
What is the purpose of the cuff
Provides a seal between ETT and tracheal wall - prevents aspiration and gas escape, centers tube in trachea and prevents tracheal trauma from bevel of ETT
High volume low pressure cuff
Compliant cuffs - larger area of contact with trachea but more adaptable to wall so less chance of tracheal damage
Can handle higher volumes without causing a huge increase in pressure
Used for long term intubation
Low volume high pressure cuff
Small area of tracheal contact, can distend trachea and cause tissue necrosis/mucosal damage
These are only used for short term intubation ideally
What is ideal cuff pressure to create a seal but avoid tissue damage
20-25mmHg
**tracheal mucosa perfusion pressure is 25-30mmHg
Uncuffed tubes
Who do we use them on and how do we test for air leak
Children <8yo
We test for airleak at pressure 15-20 cm H20
When would you use a laser safe ETT
ENT cases or other cases with a laser close to the tube/airway
Preparing your ETT for intubation
Make sure your 15mm connector is snug
Place the stylet - hockey stick formation
Check cuff
When would you use a double lumen ETT
Thoracic/lung cases where you may need to isolate a lung
Which laryngoscopes is curved and where do you place it
McIntosh. Tip advanced to valleculae = indirectly lifts epiglottis