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Get Patients to Pay Up - May 2015 - Outpatient Surgery Magazine

Outpatient Surgery Magazine, providing current information on Surgical Services, Surgical Facility Administration, Outpatient Surgery News and Trends, OR Excellence and more.

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I believe video laryngoscopy is the new standard of care and should be used during every case. In fact, I'd bet that a decade from now video laryngoscopy will be the intubation method of choice. Here's why. 1. Clinical benefits Video laryngoscopes simplify even the most difficult intubations. You don't have to open the mouth as wide as you do with direct laryn- goscopy, meaning there's less risk of damage to teeth and airway anatomy, and less muscle manipulation. The devices provide a direct view of the glottic inlet, letting you see exactly where you're placing the endotracheal tube. They're especially useful when working around challenging airway anatomy in patients who are obese or who present with previous airway trauma or anatomi- cal abnormalities that turn routine intubations into unexpected chal- lenges. Every provider has an opinion on video laryngoscopy. Some argue that it takes longer than the 10 to 20 seconds it takes skilled providers to secure the airway with direct laryngoscopy. But I've seen providers who use video laryngoscopes on an every-case basis, and their skills have improved dramatically over time. If you use video laryngoscopy once a month, you obviously won't have the same expertise, but like most skills in the OR, the more you do it, the smoother your motions will be and the faster your intubations will go. The devices might also provide peace of mind among your anesthe- sia team, giving them the confidence they need to safely and effective- ly manage patients with marginal airways, especially considering intu- bation red flags aren't always apparent during pre-op screenings. When intubation with a direct laryngoscope fails, providers can grab a video laryngoscope to secure the airway instead of making a second attempt with a direct blade. Why not get it done right the first time with video assistance? 9 7 M A Y 2 0 1 5 | O U T P A T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T

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