can leak if not fitted correctly, and they require a hand or strap to hold them in place. Their
greatest drawback is that they do not prevent possible aspiration of stomach contents.
They are not the best option for longer cases, and excessive pressure can cause physical
injury to the patient.
To use most any other airway management tool requires direct visualization with a
laryngoscope. There are standard airway classifications, depending on patient anatomy.
Laryngoscopes are available in various configurations to best meet the needs of different
airway anatomy. Common blades that are used to obtain direct visualization of the vocal
cords are straight, straight with curved tip, or curved (Jackson-Wisconsin, Miller, and
MacIntosh, respectively). When patient anatomy or trauma is such that use of a laryngoscope
is difficult or impossible, a fiber optic scope is used to help intubate the patient. The
two services that most often require these tools are thoracic and plastic surgery. Thoracic
teams use them to visualize airways more easily, evaluate tube placement, and aspirate
secretions. Reconstructive plastic surgery requires the use of fiber optic scopes, as a significant
percentage of these patients have disfigurement or trauma that has altered normal
anatomy. Video equipment can help teach their proper use by enabling two people to
visualize the same image at once.
Endotracheal (ET) tubes are the most common item used to maintain an airway. They
are available in numerous sizes and in cuffed (Figure 90-1) and uncuffed configurations,
although cuffed tubes are more common. They have a balloon-like outer section at the distal
tip that inflates to seal with the inner walls of the trachea to prevent leaks and inhalation
of gastric contents or other secretions. They are nearly always used on adults, and
they pose other potential problems if the patient is intubated for periods over 48 hours.
Uncuffed tubes do not put pressure on the inside of the trachea that can be more problematic
with pediatric patients but can contribute to airway leaks. The most frequent problem
associated with intubation is a sore throat from the pressure exerted on the inner
tracheal mucosa. There are specialized ET tubes with two lumens used most frequently
during lung surgery, enabling ventilation of one lung or both. Because they are in the
immediate surgical vicinity, these tubes are subject to greater external forces and, therefore,
are often reinforced. Another option is the laryngeal mask airway (LMA). Because
of its seal design, its use is limited to ventilation pressures of about 20 cm H2O, and it
does not prevent aspiration of gastric contents. The LMA is most efficient in environments
where surgical procedures are generally short, and it is a helpful tool for emergent
needs.
Services that pose unique challenges are pediatrics and oral surgery. Children are
smaller, potentially making tasks more challenging. In oral surgery, scavenging can be
challenging because surgery takes place in the immediate area where gases are flowing.