Douglas Mader, a veterinary specialist in Marathon, Fla., was performing routine dental procedures on two cats when he noticed frothy blood within
endotracheal tubes used to supply anesthesia to the animals.
Not exact matches
Endotracheal intubation, in which a
tube is inserted through the voice box (larynx) into the windpipe, and tracheotomy, in which surgery is undertaken to create a hole through the neck and into the windpipe (trachea) to facilitate breathing, are widely
used in the hospital setting for elective surgery and in cases of serious illness or critical injury.
Proper anesthetic protocol,
using oxygen and a gas inhalant delivered through a cuffed
endotracheal tube to keep an open and protected airway, allows technicians to scale and polish all surfaces of the teeth, both above and below the gumline, safely and effectively.
A cuffed 3 - 0
endotracheal tube is
used.
Inhalation anesthesia
using a cuffed
endotracheal tube provides three important advantages the cooperation of the patient with a procedure it does not understand, elimination of pain resulting from examination and treatment of affected dental tissues during the procedure, and protection of the airway and lungs from accidental aspiration.
When
endotracheal tubes are
used, they should remain in place during recovery from anesthesia until appropriate protective reflexes have returned.
The irritation caused by an
endotracheal tube (artificial airway
used during anesthesia) can exacerbate this.
Without the
use of an
endotracheal tube during anesthesia, there's also the possibility of your cat aspirating tartar and other debris that is produced during the cleaning.