Improvements in cuirass ventilation for airway surgery: origins in Copenhagen on the 70th anniversary of the first intensive care unit.

The first modern intensive care unit was established in Copenhagen 70 yr ago. This cornerstone of anaesthesia was largely based on experience gained using positive pressure ventilation to save hundreds of patients during the polio epidemic in 1952. Ventilation approaches, monitoring techniques, and pharmacological innovations have developed to such an extent that cuirass ventilation, which proved inadequate during the polio epidemic, might now have novel applications for both anaesthesia and treatment of the critically ill.

Infrared flashing light through the cricothyroid membrane as guidance to awake intubation with a flexible bronchoscope: A randomised cross-over study.

Background: In case of distorted airway anatomy, awake intubation with a flexible bronchoscope can be extremely difficult or even impossible. To facilitate this demanding procedure, an infrared flashing light source can be placed on the patient's neck superficial to the cricothyroid membrane. The light travels through the skin and tissue to the trachea, from where it can be registered by the advancing bronchoscope in the pharynx and seen as flashing white light on the monitor.

Infrared flashing light through the cricothyroid membrane to guide flexible bronchoscopic tracheal intubation.

Flexible bronchoscopic tracheal intubation is a fundamental technique in the management of the difficult airway but requires specific skills which may be both difficult to achieve and maintain. Therefore, techniques to improve its success should be developed. We present two cases, one where the ear, nose and throat surgeon could not view the glottis due to laryngeal pathology, and one where pathology in the oropharynx obscured access to the trachea during attempts at flexible bronchoscopic and videolaryngoscopic tracheal intubation.