Airway Ultrasound for Anesthesia and in Intensive Care Patients-A Narrative Review of the Literature

Alexandra Elena Lazar; Mircea Constantin Gherghinescu

doi:10.3390/jcm11216327

Airway Ultrasound for Anesthesia and in Intensive Care Patients-A Narrative Review of the Literature

J Clin Med. 2022 Oct 27;11(21):6327. doi: 10.3390/jcm11216327.

Authors

Alexandra Elena Lazar¹, Mircea Constantin Gherghinescu²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology from Tirgu Mures, Gheorghe Marinescu Street no 38, 540142 Targu Mures, Mures County, Romania.
² Department of Surgery 1, George Emil Palade University of Medicine, Pharmacy, Science and Technology from Tirgu Mures, Gheorghe Marinescu Street no 38, 540142 Targu Mures, Mures County, Romania.

Abstract

Ultrasound is an everyday diagnostic tool. In anesthesia and intensive care, it has a role as an adjuvant for many procedures, including the evaluation of the airway. Ultrasound airway evaluation can help predict a difficult airway, visualize the proper positioning of an intubation cannula, or evaluate the airway post-intubation. Protocols need to be established for the better integration of ultrasound in the airway evaluation, however until a consensus is reached in this respect, the ultrasound is a reliable aid in anesthesia and intensive care.

Keywords: airway; anesthesia; difficult intubation; intensive care; ultrasound.

Publication types

Review

Grants and funding

This research received no external funding.