Local airway anaesthesia for awake fibreoptic intubation

Pirlich N, Noppens R. Trends in Anaesthesia and Critical Care. Oct. 2016 [ePub ahead of print]

Abstract

Local airway anaesthesia for awake fibreoptic intubation is generally recommended to improve patient comfort, which will help make the procedure a success. There are multiple approaches in practice and several descriptions of methods in the literature. However, there is limited evidence regarding which method is the most common and which offers the best results. This review presents current data about topicalisation of the airway, including nebulisation, spray-as-you-go techniques and airway nerve blocks. This article aims to help the anaesthesiologist choose the right method, tailored to the individual needs of his patients, after weighing up the advantages and disadvantages of the presented methods.

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