• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.157-163
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• 2019

Purpose: Advanced airway maintenance improves the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients. In this study, we evaluate the factors associated with advanced airway management while performing CPR for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients by 119 emergency medical technicians (EMTs). Methods: The observational analysis method was used ro retrospectively collect data from 119 rescue run sheets. This study was conducted in a fire station in Seoul, Korea. The subjects of this study were defined as OHCA patients who received CPR from July 2016 to June 2018. We divided the subjects into two groups according to whether advanced airway maintenance was performed or not, and then compared and analyzed both groups. We performed logistic regression analyses for characteristics that differed significantly between groups. Results: Out of 188 OHCA patients, 146 (77.7%) had received advanced airway management. Statistically significant differences in the logistic analysis were found regarding the total number of EMT professionals (adjusted odds ration [aOR]: 1.955; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.227-3.115; p=0.005) and scene-time (aOR:1.119;95%CI:1.019-1.228;p=0.019). Conclusion: Advanced airway maintenance while performing CPR for OHCA patients by EMT associated primarily with ensuring an adequate numbers of EMT professionals and sufficient scene time.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.235-238
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• 2019

Corticobasal degeneration (CBD) is a rare neurodegenerative disease characterized by dystonia, cognitive deficits, and an asymmetric akinetic-rigid syndrome. Little information is available regarding anesthetic management for CBD patients. Our patient was a 55-year-old man with CBD complicated by central sleep apnea (CSA). Due to the risk of perioperative breathing instability associated with anesthetic use, a laryngeal mask airway was used during anesthesia with propofol. Spontaneous respiration was stable under general anesthesia. However, respiratory depression occurred following surgery, necessitating insertion of a nasopharyngeal airway. Since no respiratory depression had occurred during maintenance of the airway using the laryngeal mask, we suspected an upper airway obstruction caused by displacement of the tongue due to residual propofol. Residual anesthetics may cause postoperative respiratory depression in patients with CBD. Therefore, continuous postoperative monitoring of $SpO_2$ and preparations to support postoperative ventilation are necessary.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.12-17
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• 2018

Objectives: Airway management in patients with panfacial trauma is complicated. In addition to involving facial lesions, such trauma compromises the airway, and the use of intermaxillary fixation makes it difficult to secure ventilation by usual approaches (nasotracheal or endotracheal intubation). Submental airway derivation is an alternative to tracheostomy and nasotracheal intubation, allowing a permeable airway with minimal complications in complex patients. Materials and Methods: This is a descriptive, retrospective study based on a review of medical records of all patients with facial trauma from January 2003 to May 2015. In total, 31 patients with complex factures requiring submental airway derivation were included. No complications such as bleeding, infection, vascular, glandular, or nervous lesions were presented in any of the patients. Results: The use of submental airway derivation is a simple, safe, and easy method to ensure airway management. Moreover, it allows an easier reconstruction. Conclusion: Based on these results, we concluded that, if the relevant steps are followed, the use of submental intubation in the treatment of patients with complex facial trauma is a safe and effective option.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.61-64
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• 2017

Nasotracheal intubation is generally a useful maxillofacial surgery that provides good surgical access for intraoral procedures. When nasotracheal intubation is difficult, laryngeal mask airway (LMA) insertion can be performed, and the flexible $LMA^{TM}$ (FLMA) is also useful for anesthetic management. However, the FLMA provides limited access to the mouth, which restricts the insertion of instrumentation and confines the surgical field available. Here, we present our experience using the FLMA airway management for dental treatment cases involving difficulty with intubation.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.127-131
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• 2004

A laryngeal mask airway (LMA) has many advantages in the management of airway emergencies or the treatment of patients in whom intubation is difficult, but the use of LMA during positive ventilation may seem inappropriate to protect the airway because of the risk of pulmonary aspiration of regurgitated gastric contents. We experienced aspiration pneumonia after general anesthesia using LMA in patient who suffered from panperitonitis. It is considered that the main reason for aspiration pneumonia was a leakage of gastric content through the space surrounding the nasogastric tube while under high airway inflation pressure. We concluded that when LMA or the Proseal laryngeal mask airway (PLMA) is chosen for the use in difficult intubations, careful patient-suitability selection and the correct knowledge of LMA and PLMA are needed to protect the airway against aspiration.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.506-511
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• 2016

Background The indications for surgical airway management in patients with Robin sequence (RS) and severe airway obstruction have not been well defined. While certain patients with RS clearly require surgical airway intervention and other patients just as clearly can be managed with conservative measures alone, a significant proportion of patients with RS present with a more confusing and ambiguous clinical course. The purpose of this study was to describe the clinical features and objective findings of patients with RS whose airways were successfully managed without surgical intervention. Methods The authors retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of infants with RS evaluated for potential surgical airway management between 1994 and 2014. Patients who were successfully managed without surgical intervention were included. Patient demographics, nutritional and respiratory status, laboratory values, and polysomnography (PSG) findings were recorded. Results Thirty-two infants met the inclusion criteria. The average hospital stay was 16.8 days (range, 5-70 days). Oxygen desaturation (<70% by pulse oximetry) occurred in the majority of patients and was managed with temporary oxygen supplementation by nasal cannula (59%) or endotracheal intubation (31%). Seventy-five percent of patients required a temporary nasogastric tube for nutritional support, and a gastrostomy tube placed was placed in 9%. All patients continued to gain weight following the implementation of these conservative measures. PSG data (n=26) demonstrated mild to moderate obstruction, a mean apneahypopnea index (AHI) of $19.2{\pm}5.3events/hour$, and an oxygen saturation level <90% during only 4% of the total sleep time. Conclusions Nonsurgical airway management was successful in patients who demonstrated consistent weight gain and mild to moderate obstruction on PSG, with a mean AHI of <20 events/hour.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.32-36
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• 2005

This study aimed to report a case of infant who presented with a prenatal ultrasound diagnosis of agnathia, polyhydramnios followed by a review of previous studies. As widely acknowledge, agnathia is a complex lethal malformation characterized by absent mandible, microstomia, microglossia and ear anomaly which are secondary results to a defect of the first branchial auh. Newborn infants with agnathia often suffer from airway obstruction, causing fatal respiratory failure. The most difficult part of treating those newborns is to keep the airway patent. Therefore, as early airway management planning as possible is the most important part. Airway management was achieved with tracheotomy through an ex utero intrapartum treatment procedure(EXIT). The case of this infant, reporting here, was underwent tracheotomy with preservation of uteroplacental blood flow and gas exchange.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.232-236
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• 2022

A ranula is a pseudocyst that originates from the sublingual gland after trauma. Acute cases of ranulas that progress rapidly and cause respiratory distress are rare. Holoprosencephaly is a complex brain malformation caused by incomplete cleavage of the prosencephalon. Children with holoprosencephaly may experience upper airway obstruction due to the associated dentoalveolar malformations and oromotor dysfunctions. We present the case of an eight-year-old female patient with holoprosencephaly and a plunging ranula that manifested as an acute course due to difficult airway management. She required gastrostomy for oromotor dysfunctions related to feeding and swallowing and difficulty managing oral secretions. The sublingual gland and ranula were removed under general anesthesia. Postoperatively, urgent reintubation and close monitoring in the intensive care unit were required due to upper airway obstruction. We successfully managed the patient with close cooperation of a pediatrician and an anesthetist, and no recurrence was observed at the one-year follow-up. A ranula can be caused by trauma to the floor of the mouth in association with lingually inclined mandibular teeth, a type of dentoalveolar compensation seen in maxillary hypoplasia associated with holoprosencephaly. Careful consideration is needed in such cases since airway management can be difficult due to postoperative swelling and oromotor dysfunctions.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.317-320
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• 2016

A 47-year-old woman was referred for surgical treatment of osteomyelitis of the mandible. She had already undergone three previous surgeries. Pre-anesthetic airway evaluation predicted a difficult airway, due to the thin, retro-positioned mandible, tongue, and atrophic changes in the lips and soft tissue. We inserted packing gauzes in the buccal mucosa for easier mask fitting and ventilation. During direct laryngoscopic intubation with a nasotracheal tube (NTT), fracture of a thin mandible can easily occur. Therefore, we used a fiberoptic bronchoscope to insert the NTT. After surgery, we performed a tongue-tie to protect against airway obstruction caused by the backward movement of the tongue during recovery. The patient recovered without any complications. We determined the status of the patient precisely and consequently performed thorough preparations for the surgery, allowing the patient to be anesthetized safely and recover after surgery. Careful assessment of the patient and airway prior to surgery is necessary.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.219-223
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• 2017

In cases of multiple facial trauma and other specific cases, the anesthesiologist may be asked to convert an oral endotracheal tube to a nasal endotracheal tube or vice versa. Conventionally, the patient is simply extubated and the endotracheal tube is re-inserted along either the oral or nasal route. However, the task of airway management can become difficult due to surgical trauma or worsening of the airway condition. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy was considered a novel method of airway conversion but this method is not useful when there are secretions and bleeding in the airway, or if the anesthesiologist is inexperienced in using this device. We report a successful airway conversion under the aid of both, a fiberoptic bronchoscope and a C-MAC video laryngoscope.