Abstract (EN):
A laryngoscope is a medical device used to facilitate endotracheal intubation during general anesthesia or mechanical ventilation. Usually, a laryngoscopy can be performed in less than a minute, but requires very precise movements and force control abilities; otherwise, it may result in serious damages to the patient incisors, larynx, spinal column, or significant changes of the vital signals like heart rate and/or blood pressure. For this study, a laryngoscope blade was covered by a spray ink which is naturally removed in the areas where the contact is more intense, while remaining untouched in the other areas; giving this way a basic picture of the contact pattern. This paper evaluates the pressure distribution on a Macintosh laryngoscope blade, when a laryngoscopy is performed by experienced doctors and medical students. This technique may be useful to improve the students intubation performance and to diminishing the risk factors of upper-airway patient damages.
Language:
English
Type (Professor's evaluation):
Scientific
No. of pages:
4