Special Article: Failed intubation in obstetrics (original) (raw)
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Difficult Airway in Obstetric Anesthesia: A Review
Obstetrical and Gynecological Survey, 2001
Failed intubation and ventilation are important causes of anesthetic-related maternal mortality. The purpose of this article is to review the complex issues in managing the difficult airway in obstetric patients. The importance of prompt and competent decision making in managing difficult airways, as well as a need for appropriate equipment is emphasized. Four case reports reinforce the importance of a systematic approach to management. The overall preference for regional rather than general anesthesia is strongly encouraged. The review also emphasizes the need for professional and experienced team cooperation between the obstetrician and the anesthesiologist for the successful management of these challenging cases. Target Audience: Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Family Physicians Learning Objectives: After completion of this article, the reader will be able to break down the complex issues in managing the difficult airway in the obstetric patient, outline the reasons for difficult intubations in pregnancy, and describe the evaluation used to predict a difficult intubation.
Equipment for the difficult airway in obstetric units in Germany
Journal of Clinical Anesthesia, 2000
Study Objective: To examine the availability of specialized equipment for the difficult airway management in obstetric units of German departments of anesthesiology. Design and Setting: An anonymous questionnaire survey was mailed to the directors of 993 German departments of anesthesiology. Completed replies were grouped by number of deliveries performed each year. Main Results: 55.5% of the hospitals responded. Data of 449 answers were evaluated for this investigation. A difficult airway cart was available in 99.3% of the departments. More detailed investigation revealed that different shaped laryngoscope blades (74.9% of the departments), laryngeal masks (91.0%), a fiberoptic bronchoscope (85.9%), and transtracheal puncture devices (59.9%) were available in the majority of the units. However, only a minority of the departments had these devices directly available in their obstetric operating rooms (OR; laryngeal masks 36.2%, fiberoptic bronchoscope 23.9%, transtracheal puncture set 22.0%). Larger units with more than 1,000 deliveries per year provided their equipment more often directly in the obstetric OR or the facility housing the obstetric unit than did smaller units with less than 1,000 deliveries per year (p Ͻ 0.001). Conclusions: The survey of German departments of anesthesia revealed that specialized equipment for the difficult airway management often is not directly available in the obstetric OR. Anesthesiologists must familiarize themselves as to which difficult airway equipment is available in their unit and where it is stored.
Difficult intubation in the parturient
Canadian Journal of Anaesthesia, 1989
Difficult or failed tracheal intubation is an important cause of anaesthetic-related maternal morbidity and mortality. The incidence of failed iatubation in parturients is estimated to be as frequent as 1 in 500; that of mortality is unknown, although some 10-13 pregnant women in England, Scotland and Wales die each year because of anaesthetic-related complications. To prevent such catastrophes, all necessary monitors and equipment should be available, including that needed to deal with a failed intubation. Assessment of the patient may lead to preoperative recognition of a difficult airway; altered positioning may be of help both in recognition and management. Furthermore, adequate assistance, correct use of cricoid pressure, and confirmation of tracheal intubation are fundamental to safe practice. Lastly, should the anaesthetist fail to intubate the patient's trachea, a management protocol is suggested.
Airway and obstetric anesthesia: a review
This review highlights the physiological changes in the airway, associated with pregnancy and delivery of the baby, in the parturients. The strategies to address anticipated and unanticipated difficult airway management have been discussed. The need to have comprehensive guidelines and/or algorithms is stressed. The review covers the updates from the recent research studies.
Indian journal of anaesthesia, 2016
The various physiological changes in pregnancy make the parturient vulnerable for early and rapid desaturation. Severe hypoxaemia during intubation can potentially compromise two lives (mother and foetus). Thus tracheal intubation in the pregnant patient poses unique challenges, and necessitates meticulous planning, ready availability of equipment and expertise to ensure maternal and foetal safety. The All India Difficult Airway Association (AIDAA) proposes a stepwise plan for the safe management of the airway in obstetric patients. These guidelines have been developed based on available evidence; wherever robust evidence was lacking, recommendations were arrived at by consensus opinion of airway experts, incorporating the responses to a questionnaire sent to members of the AIDAA and the Indian Society of Anaesthesiologists (ISA). Modified rapid sequence induction using gentle intermittent positive pressure ventilation with pressure limited to ≤20 cm H2O is acceptable. Partial or co...
Management of an Unanticipated Difficult Airway during Emergency “C” Section—A Novel Approach
Introduction: Knowledge, skill and training in addition to quick thinking, come to the rescue of Anesthesiologists when encountering an unanticipated difficult airway during emergency Caesarean section. Ability to react with time to spare will ensure maternal and fetal well being while handling this life threatening emergency. Case History: While anesthetizing a 22-year parturient for emergency Caesarean section, the endotracheal tube was inadvertently placed in the esophagus. As the “call for help” was activated, the esophageal tube was delivered thru the endoscopic port of a Patil-Syracuse face mask. After confirming our ability to ventilate the patient without distending the stomach while maintaining the oxygen saturation and end tidal carbon dioxide levels within normal limits, surgery was allowed to proceed under mask anesthesia employing oxygen, nitrous oxide and sevoflurane with rocuronium for muscle relaxation. After a healthy infant was delivered, definitive airway access was obtained with Glidescope? assisted fiberoptic intubation. The esophageal tube was then removed. Further surgery proceeded uneventfully. Discussion: By choosing to deliver the proximal end of the inadvertently placed esophageal tube thru the endoscopic port of a Patil-Syracuse mask and mask ventilating the patient, we have been able to provide that few precious minutes of oxygenation to the distressed fetus before delivery. By isolating and venting the stomach thru the esophageal tube we provided maternal air way protection during the initial phase of the delivery. Definitive airway access was obtained as soon as additional help and equipment were available. Conclusion: Difficult airway algorithm while comprehensive, does not address the question of time management. While dealing with a difficult airway in obstetric anesthesia, time is the single most important factor, which will determine the maternal and fetal well being. We in our case report have attempted to answer that question of “time”.
Obstetricians? ability to assess the airway
Obstetrics & Gynecology, 1999
To assess the ability of obstetricians to recognize parturients at risk for difficult intubation and to examine the effect of education in airway examination on that ability. Methods: The airways of 160 parturients were examined by four physicians: one attending and one resident obstetrician, and one attending and one resident anesthesiologist. After each airway examination, the physicians completed questionnaires about possible difficult intubation, use of antepartum consultation, and choice of analgesia early in labor. Results: Instruction in airway examination did not affect obstetricians' ability to assess airways. Compared with the attending anesthesiologist's opinion, the sensitivity and specificity of the attending obstetrician before instruction were 0.59 and 0.82, respectively, and for the obstetric resident, 0.41 and 0.89, respectively. After instruction, the sensitivity and specificity for the obstetric attending physician were 0.60 and 0.83, respectively and for the obstetric resident, 0.50 and 0.87, respectively. In airways judged possible difficult intubations by the obstetricians, instruction did not affect the use of antepartum consultation or early epidural analgesia by the residents. In the obstetric attending physicians there was a significant increase in use of early epidural analgesia. Conclusion: Although instruction in airway examination did not affect obstetricians' ability to predict difficult airways, it did affect treatment of labor analgesia.
Current Medical Research and Opinion, 2017
Objective To describe the incidence of difficult and failed intubations in obstetric patients during a 6-year period monitored by a quality assurance program together with American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status (ASA PS) scores, and obesity (Body mass index > 30 kg/m 2). Methods Following Institutional Review Board approval, data about obstetric patients who experienced unanticipated difficult or failed intubations from 2010-2015 were obtained from the quality assurance database of a large, community-based anesthesiology group practice. The database employs standardized definitions for difficult intubation (greater than 3 laryngoscopic attempts by experienced providers) and failed intubation (inability to intubate leading to surgical airway or waking up the patient). ASA PS scores and co-morbidities were also identified for obstetric general anesthetics using an internally-developed quality assurance program, Quantum™ Clinical Navigation System. Results There were 2802 obstetric general anesthetics in the database of which 1085 (38.7%) were deemed as emergencies. There were no cases of failed intubation and seven cases of unanticipated difficult intubations (1: 400 cases, 0.25% of all obstetric general anesthetics, 95% Confidence Interval 0.1-0.5%), six of which occurred during emergency surgery. There was an increase in obesity (P=0.003) and ASA PS (P=0.02) over the period of the study. The incidence of difficult intubation was not found to be significantly changed (P=0.68). Conclusions Despite an increase in ASA PS score and obesity, there was no increase in the incidence of difficult intubation in obstetric patients. Limitations of the study include its retrospective design, and the small number of difficult intubation cases identified.