Office-based ambulatory sedation--the use of the airway protector system during oral surgery: a prospective audit of the first 100 patients.

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of the "Airway Protector System" (APS), a simple homemade device used for airway control during office-based dental sedation.

Patients And Methods: A prospective audit was performed in 100 severely dental phobic patients submitted to dental treatment in a dentist office under propofol sedation.

Results: Sixty-eight females and 32 males were enrolled in this study.

Emergency percutaneous tracheostomy is feasable in experienced hands.

One of most stressful situations for a physician occurs when a patient is unable to breathe and endotracheal intubation is not possible. The establishment of an open airway by surgery is indicated only if the physician is unable to do so with an endotracheal tube. Surgical tracheostomy is not indicated in emergency situations because it takes a long time and can result in death if respiratory support cannot be provided during the procedure.