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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4 | O U T P AT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E
Know your limitations
Have a plan in place for the surgical airway and hope you never need
it, says anesthesiologist Joseph Bernstein, MD, of Saint Nicholas
Surgery Center in Sheboygan, Wis.
The obesity sniffing position is a great aid to intubations, says anes-
thesiologist John Hsu, MD, director of anesthesia at Presbyterian
Whittier (Calif.) Hospital. Intubating from the left side aligns the three
axes so that intubation is easier, he adds.
Finally, check your ego at the door. Realize your limitations with
regards to your expertise and comfort, the limitations imposed by the
availability of specialized airway equipment and the amount of skilled
help available to assist in attempting to rescue a difficult airway, says
Dr. DeFrancesco. "Don't become overzealous in persistent attempts at
intubation and risk losing the airway completely," he adds. "We all
tend to fall into the trap of being macho, not wanting to admit defeat
in these situations. It is far better to realize the difficulty and wake the
patient up if necessary." OSM
E-mail
doconnor@outpa tientsurg ery.net
.
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