CJA
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a scholarly reply
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by McIntyre, J. W.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by McIntyre, J. W.

Canadian Journal of Anesthesia, Vol 43, 629-635, Copyright © 1996 by Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society

ARTICLES

Oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal airways: I (1880-1995)

JW McIntyre
Department of Anaesthesia, University of Alberta, Edmonton.

PURPOSE: During the past decade the laryngeal mask airway (LMA) has dominated literature about airways for use during general anaesthesia. The LMA addresses clearly defined clinical objectives. The purpose of this study is to determine whether those objectives were described collectively with reference to earlier airway designs. METHODS: The anaesthesia sections of Index Medicus 1880-1995 were read and publications in the English language about airways were obtained and analysed. Secondary information sources were references to causes of respiratory obstruction. This was supplemented by random reference to available textbooks. RESULTS: The multiple objectives, as least partially, satisfied by the LMA were not described collectively at the time of Hewitt's presentation of an oropharyngeal airway in 1908 and largely were neglected until the present time. CONCLUSION: The design of airways has been based on clinical circumstances and perceived requirements of the time. In contemporary anaesthetic practice, distinct clinical situations still occur and there is a role for different device designs. Currently for supraglottic airway management during general anaesthesia, four types of airway should be available: a Guedel airway, nasopharyngeal airway, a laryngeal mask airway, and an airway specifically designed to facilitate blind tracheal intubation.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Br J AnaesthHome page
S. Metz and C. Beattie
A modified nasal trumpet to facilitate fibreoptic intubation
Br. J. Anaesth., March 1, 2003; 90(3): 388 - 391.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Anesth. Analg.Home page
C. Beattie
The Modified Nasal Trumpet Maneuver
Anesth. Analg., February 1, 2002; 94(2): 467 - 469.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Br J AnaesthHome page
Editorial II: Airway devices: where now and where to?
Br. J. Anaesth., October 1, 2000; 85(4): 504 - 505.
[Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 1996 by the Canadian Anesthesiologists' Society.