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your facility's reputation and patients' lives on that
assumption?
"I've been in outpatient surgery centers treating some of
the thinnest patients," says Gwendolynn D. Randall, PhD,
CRNA, ARNP, an independent nurse anesthetist based in
Royal Palm Beach, Fla. "You do an airway assessment and
you think, no problem." And then the unthinkable hap-
pens. That's when it's crucial, says Dr. Randall, for your
anesthesia providers to have access to the best airway
tools that exist, regardless of their cost. For safety-con-
scious facilities, that means ensuring video laryngoscopes
are always available.
Risks on the rise
It can be a shock when unanticipated airway issues arise,
says Dr. Randall. But shock is a luxury you can't afford
when you have less than a minute to get your patient
oxygenating again. "If you can ventilate, that buys you a
little time to take some calming deep breaths, regroup
and work your way through the next step of the difficult
airway algorithm," she says. "But when you can't venti-
late or intubate, it's a very serious emergent situation."
Video laryngoscopes might not yet be the standard of
care in airway intubation, but your anesthesia providers
will appreciate being able to reach for the device when emergencies arise. That
might happen more frequently in the ambulatory setting now that more and
more obese patients are finding their way onto surgery center tables, thanks to
Video Laryngoscope?
• SECONDS COUNT When an unanticipated
difficult airway arises, a video laryngoscope
may mean the difference between life
and death.
