Emergency management of respiratory failure by endotracheal intubation through the nose under the guidance of portable bedside fibrobronchoscope.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the value of portable fibrobronchoscope in the management of respiratory failure by endotracheal intubation through the nose.

METHODS

Fifty-eight patients with acute or chronic respiratory failure received mechanical ventilation by endotracheal intubation through the nose under the guidance of portable fibrobronchoscope.

RESULTS

Intubation was successfully performed in all the patients in a single attempt (which took 30 min to 5 min) without interruption of autonomous breathing or incurring laryngospasm or cardiac arrest. After mechanical ventilation for 30 min, conspicuous improvement of respiratory failure was observed in all the cases.

CONCLUSION

With convenient and easy manipulation, portable fibrobronchoscope provides quick and accurate guidance for endotracheal intubation through the nose in the emergency management of respiratory failure.