Rigid endoscopy and intubation

The Bravo pH probe is a wireless capsule allowing remote quantification of gastroesophageal reflux. A 14-year-old male presented for Bravo probe placement. Following esophagogastroduodenoscopy, attachment of the Bravo probe was attempted. Immediately, the patient began coughing without oxygen desaturation. Repeat endoscopy did not reveal the probe within the esophagus or stomach. He was then intubated, and fluoroscopy demonstrated a foreign body within the bronchus intermedius. Rigid bronchoscopy was performed to retrieve the probe using optical forceps...

OBJECTIVE: Children with a history of recurrent croup alert the ENT clinician to the potential for underlying laryngotracheal pathology. There is equipoise about the likelihood of identifying any underlying structural issues or subglottic stenosis in those children who undergo airway assessment. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study in a tertiary UK paediatric hospital of a decade of children with recurrent croup who underwent a rigid laryngo-tracheo-bronchoscopy (airway endoscopy)...

BACKGROUND: An increasing number of patients have been subjected to prolonged invasive mechanical ventilation due to COVID-19 infection, leading to a significant number of post-intubation/tracheostomy (PI/T) upper airways lesions. The purpose of this study is to report our early experience in endoscopic and/or surgical management of PI/T upper airways injuries of patients surviving COVID-19 critical illness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively collected data from patients referred to our Thoracic Surgery Unit from March 2020 to February 2022...

Epiglottitis is a bacterial infection of the upper respiratory tract that can be rapidly progressive and life-threatening. Though predominantly seen in unvaccinated children, there seems to be a shift with the incidence of adult cases rising following the Haemophilus Influenza B (HiB) vaccine. There are several reports of epiglottitis manifesting as an abscess, but few cases report on the formation of an emphysematous abscess. Additionally, little is known on the bacterial etiology of such infections. Here, we present a case of a patient found to have acute emphysematous epiglottis managed with fiberoptic intubation, drainage, and culture of the abscess...

Iatrogenic tracheobronchial injury (ITI) is an infrequent but potentially life-threatening disease, with significant morbidity and mortality rates. Its incidence is presumably underestimated since several cases are underrecognized and underreported. Causes of ITI include endotracheal intubation (EI) or percutaneous tracheostomy (PT). Most frequent clinical manifestations are subcutaneous emphysema, pneumomediastinum and unilateral or bilateral pneumothorax, even if occasionally ITI can occur without significant symptoms...

BACKGROUND: Bronchoscopy is an aerosol-generating procedure and can place the health care providers at risk for exposure to viral pathogens. The pattern of aerosol generation during  different aspects of bronchoscopy are poorly understood. The goal of this study is to characterize the pattern of aerosol generation during flexible and rigid bronchoscopy performed under moderate sedation or general anesthesia (GA). The inhalable mass concentration of aerosol generated during the procedures was measured continuously...

Tracheal bronchus (TB) is a rare congenital anomaly described as a abnormal bronchus that originates directly from the trachea above the carina directed towards the upper lung lobe. We analysed all paediatric rigid endoscopies of the airway from January 2015 until August 2020 to determine the incidence and characteristic of TB. In total, 68 rigid endoscopic airway examination record from children aged 0 to 12 years were analyzed. Endoscopic examination was performed from supraglottic region to carina using a 0 degree Hopkins rod lens telescope...

INTRODUCTION: Thyroid goiter is a benign chronic enlargement of the thyroid gland, which presents as a painless anterior neck mass with occasional extension to the mediastinum. Retropharyngeal goiter is a rare presentation and hardly reported in the literature. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 70-year-old male presented with a multinodular goiter with a large retropharyngeal component. CLINICAL FINDINGS AND INVESTIGATIONS: Physical examination of the head and neck revealed a massive anterior neck mass...

OBJECTIVE: Airborne aerosol transmission, an established mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 spread, has been successfully mitigated in the health care setting through the adoption of universal masking. Upper airway endoscopy, however, requires direct access to the face, thereby potentially exposing the clinic environment to infectious particles. This study quantifies aerosol production during rigid nasal endoscopy (RNE) and RNE with debridement (RNED) as compared with intubation, a posited gold standard aerosol-generating procedure...

INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Laryngotracheitis (croup) is a rare manifestation of COVID-19 in adults. PRESENTATION OF CASE: A 52-year-old female presented to the emergency department (ED) with shortness of breath and inspiratory stridor. CLINICAL FINDINGS AND INVESTIGATIONS: Physical examination of the head and neck revealed a congested posterior pharyngeal wall...

OBJECTIVE: To study the role of upper airway endoscopy (UAE) in craniofacial malformations in all different management approaches described in the literature. METHODS: A narrative review was performed, based on a search in pubmed. RESULTS: UAE use was reviewed over five domains: 1) Diagnosis of glossoptosis and endoscopic classification: drug-induced sleep endoscopy is recommended to graduate tongue base obstruction; there is still no consensus on the graduation system to be used...

OBJECTIVES: Third and fourth branchial pouch sinuses can be rare causes of respiratory distress in neonates. An overview of this distinct clinical entity is missing in literature. To aid clinicians in recognizing and adequately treating this unique entity, we conducted a systematic review to discuss patient characteristics, diagnostic considerations and treatment strategy. METHODS: MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched from inception to December 29th, 2020. Original studies concerning patients with respiratory symptoms as a result of a third or fourth branchial pouch sinus, as confirmed with rigid endoscopy, videofluoroscopy or during surgery...

OBJECTIVES: Define aerosol and droplet risks associated with routine otolaryngology clinic procedures during the COVID-19 era. METHODS: Clinical procedures were simulated in cadaveric heads whose oral and nasal cavities were coated with fluorescent tracer (vitamin B2) and breathing was manually simulated through retrograde intubation. A cascade impactor placed adjacent to the nares collected generated particles with aerodynamic diameters ≤14.1 µm. The 3D printed models and syringes were used to simulate middle and external ear suctioning as well as open suctioning, respectively...

BACKGROUND: Compared to traditional open surgery, laparoscopic surgery has become a standard approach for colorectal cancer due to its great superiorities including less postoperative pain, a shorter hospital stay, and better quality of life. In 2007, Whiteford et al reported the first natural orifice trans-anal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) sigmoidectomy using transanal endoscopic microsurgery. To date, all cases of NOTES colorectal resection have included a hybrid laparoscopic approach with the use of established rigid platforms...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of chronicity on the size of the ostium after external dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR) with intubation. METHODS: Design: A retrospective chart review of patients who underwent external DCR with intubation over 10 years from January 2003 at a tertiary hospital. All patients were recruited and examined with rigid nasal endoscope. RESULTS: A total number of 66 (85 eyes) patients were included. The mean age at the time of evaluation was 53...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Loop formation can impede endoscope advancement, destabilize the tip, and cause pain. Strategies to mitigate looping include torque-based reduction maneuvers, variable stiffness shafts, and abdominal splinting. In some cases, these strategies are insufficient, and there is need for novel instruments. Loop formation is of particular concern in colonoscopy, but it can also impact performance of other endoscopic procedures such as enteroscopy and altered-anatomy ERCP...

OBJECTIVE: Vallecular cyst coexisting with laryngomalacia (VC-LM) can cause significant pharyngolaryngeal obstruction. Traditionally, it is diagnosed with flexible endoscopy (FE) and treated by rigid endoscopy. This study evaluates the effectiveness of solely using FE with novel noninvasive ventilation (NIV) of sustained pharyngeal inflation (SPI) support for both diagnosis and treatment in such infants. METHODS: A retrospective review of consecutive infants who were diagnosed and treated for VC-LM in the 12-year period, 2007 to 2018, was conducted...

BACKGROUND: Tracheobronchial (TB) lumen narrowing may require prolonged positive-pressure ventilation, endotracheal tube intubation or even surgical interventions. Therapeutic flexible bronchoscopy (TFB) of balloon-expandable metallic stent (BEMS) placement and subsequent forceps, laser and balloon dilatation management might be less invasive and helpful. This study aimed to analyse the placement, follow-up management with TFB and long-term outcomes in small infants with BEMS. METHODS: This retrospective study reviewed the medical records and associated TFB videos of infants with a maximum body weight (BW) of 5...

PURPOSE: Surgical simulation has proven useful in training for high-acuity, low frequency events such as airway foreign body removal (AWFBR). Studies have supported the role of simulation to improve trainee confidence and technical proficiency, but rigorous methodology is often lacking. Through a pilot study, we sought to evaluate the feasibility and utility of two-view video capture for rigorous assessment of trainee skill in an educational course setting. METHODS: Participants were asked to perform 1) self-assessment surveys using 5- point Likert scale questions and 2) rigid bronchoscopy with AWFBR on intubation trainers, at the beginning and end of a multi-institution airway course...

Background and Aims: Awake fibre-optic intubation (AFOI) is an integral part of anaesthetic management of difficult airways. Conscious sedation is essential to assist AFOI. This study compared two different doses of dexmedetomidine in combination with topical spray and airway blocks for awake orotracheal fibre-optic intubation in patients undergoing elective cervical spine surgery with rigid cervical collar in situ . Methods: A randomized, prospective, comparative study design was conducted in sixty patients divided into two groups: Group (L) ( n = 30) patients received low dose of dexmedetomidine (0...