Postoperative opioid-induced respiratory depression is common and results from an imbalance in the forces of arousal vs the forces of sedation. Opioid induced respiratory depression requiring treatment can occur to any patient at any time, and under the care of any provider — from novice to experienced. You must understand the forces of sedation and arousal and be constantly vigilant to keep your patients safe. Read More …
The LMA provides an alternate means to ventilate a patient during surgery — without intubation and while freeing the provider’s hands from having to hold the mask. It provides a more secure airway that makes gastric distention less likely. Since its invention, the LMA has since become quite valuable as a rescue device in situations when intubation may be difficult — even for the inexperienced. Let’s talk about some tips for successful insertion. Read More …
Use of a bag-valve-mask device is one of the most important skills you can master in patient care. Many of my students have a hard time ventilating with a bag-valve-mask device because they fail to get a good seal with the mask. So let’s discuss how to place the mask step-by-step. Read More …