Submental Intubation [video]

Holy moly... Never realized submental intubation was actually a procedure that really is performed. Check out this video (or watch below) showing a submental intubation being performed. First, an incision is created right below the jawline slightly off from midline. Dissection is bluntly carried right to the floor of the mouth under the tongue. The endotracheal tube is than grasped and pulled through this opening resulting in a submental intubation. Seems quick and elegant with minimal b…

10/30/2013 0

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Scam Tracheostomy in Hospital Leading to Arrests

Image from Wikipedia A Chicago hospital owner and a few doctors were arrested in a horrific scandal involving deliberately  over-sedating patients thereby ensuring a patient will not be able to come off the breathing machine leading to the excuse needed to perform a tracheostomy [ link ]. All done in the name for greater profits. This scandal is particularly notable given it has come right at the heels of a New York Times story  which reported that hospitals often profit from surgical err…

4/17/2013 0

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Awake Endotracheal Intubation Video

It is a common misconception that you need to be completely asleep and sedated in order to be intubated. That is patently false. With good local anesthesia, intubation can be performed on a wide-awake patient without any sedation. Take a look at this  video  where an anesthesiologist instructor essentially intubates himself in front of an audience... I didn't make it, but I wish I did... This little-used technique is a very important skill to have because in certain dire situations w…

7/27/2011 0

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Doctors Don't Always Take Their Advice (ENT Perspective)

Reuters published an interesting story about research that showed doctors don't always recommend treatments to patients that they themselves would pursue if they were sick. In essence, if the doctor was the sick person, they would tend to pursue treatments that carry a higher risk of death but fewer severe side effects whereas patients pursue the exact opposite. Though the clinical scenarios illustrated in the article/research is not reflective of an ENT practice (colon cancer and bird…

4/12/2011 0

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U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Gifford Gets a Tracheostomy After 7 Days of Intubation

U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Gifford who is recovering from a gunshot wound to the head 7 days earlier had her breathing tube removed and a tracheostomy tube placed on January 15, 2011. Many people will wonder why a tracheostomy tube was placed when she's been intubated for only 7 days and even though she has been able to breath on her own since Tuesday. Along with the trach tube, a stomach feeding tube was also placed. A tracheostomy tube is a small tube placed through an opening in the nec…

1/16/2011 0

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