Purpose: This report details our preliminary results for sheath-assisted tracheal intubation (SATI) for patients with acute dyspnea caused by severe stenoses in the larynx or trachea.
Description: Of 289 patients with acute dyspnea who required tracheal intubation in the emergency department of our hospital, 21 who experienced intubation difficulty or failure were entered into this study. Data on technical success, clinical outcome, and complications related to SATI were collected and analyzed retrospectively.
Evaluation: Sheath-assisted tracheal intubation was successful in all patients. Clinical success was observed in all patients 1 to 7 days after the procedure. Tracheal stents or incisions, or both, were performed 1 to 3 days after SATI for all patients, once their general physical condition had improved. During follow-up, acute dyspnea had resolved in all patients. At the time of this report, 18 patients were well, with no dyspnea, but 3 patients had died, 2 of lung cancer and 1 of carcinoma of the larynx.
Conclusions: Shealth-assisted tracheal intubation is a safe and feasible procedure, and may serve as an additional treatment option for patients with acute dyspnea caused by severe stenoses of the larynx or trachea.
Copyright © 2011 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.