Some photos of the action at the Nairobi Surgical Skills Centre this week. Many thanks to the local faculty from the University of Nairobi and other institutions, the companies that supported use of the facilities and equipment, and the enthusiastic delegates!
Resources and notes from the course are available on the course page here.
Technique for using the Aintree Intubating Catheter (AIC) to exchange between a supraglottic airway (SGA) and endotracheal tube (ETT). This is typically required when an airway has been ‘rescued’ with an SGA that is not designed for direct intubation, with a narrow internal diameter or obstructions. The Aintree has a length of 55cm, internal diameter of 4.8 mm (not 4.2 as stated in the video) and external diameter of 6.0 mm, allowing a paediatric fibrescope or flexible intubating vide endoscope (preferably 4 mm or less) to be passed through the AIC, into the trachea, and then an ETT railroaded after removal of the SGA over the AIC. If that sounds confusing, watch the video!
Tips/tricks/advice/critique? Leave a comment!
The Difficult Airway Society (DAS) have a nice poster guide to help you remember how to do this – click the image below to open/download. (Open access).
A description of the technique for intubating through a supraglottic airway that offers a sufficiently large internal bore to allow an appropriate-sized endotracheal tube using an adult fibreoptic or flexible video endoscope. Take note of the method of providing ventilation during the endoscopy!
As usual, this is an unscripted video, and constructive critique is welcomed to help us improve the educational offering.
A quick video aimed at introducing our clinicians to a new piece of equipment, but potentially a useful overview of this type of device to anyone who may make use of portable flexible ‘scopes.
Two and a half minutes to quickly bring you up to speed on the anatomy of a flexible intubating endoscope:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mbg1VHRD350
Flexible fibreoptic and video endoscopes are fantastic but expensive pieces of equipment. In order to be maintained in top working condition, they need a little tender loving care. A particular problem occurs when the sheath of the scope becomes damaged or cracked, allowing fluid (especially corrosive cleaning solutions) to enter the inner workings of the scope, causing irreparable damage. The inner workings of the scope are a sealed environment. The patency of the seal – and thus the presence or absence of any damage – can easily be determined by performing a leak test. Although this is usually performed by medical technologists who are looking after the scopes, it can just as be performed quickly by the user while the scope is being prepared, or just before cleaning. Spend 100 seconds watching this brief, unadorned video which will walk you through the process. The demonstration here is using our Storz equipment, but is very similar regardless of the make or model of endoscope.
Blinded intubation through the 3gLM SGA, as viewed by a video endoscope riding inside a Parker Flex-Tip ETT.