Superficial or deep cervical plexus block for carotid endarterectomy: a systematic review of complications.

Carotid endarterectomy is commonly conducted under regional (deep, superficial, intermediate, or combined) cervical plexus block, but it is not known if complication rates differ. We conducted a systematic review of published papers to assess the complication rate associated with superficial (or intermediate) and deep (or combined deep plus superficial/intermediate). The null hypothesis was that complication rates were equal.

Insertion of the double lumen tube in the difficult airway.

Isolation of a lung and one-lung ventilation are commonly used during thoracic surgery. Insertion of double lumen tubes requires considerable skill and may be especially challenging in the difficult airway. We describe a method of inserting double lumen tubes in two patients with known difficult airways.