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Anatomical Shape of the Airway
Author(s) -
Alexopoulos C.,
Larsson S. G.,
Lindholm C.E.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
acta anaesthesiologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1399-6576
pISSN - 0001-5172
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-6576.1983.tb01932.x
Subject(s) - medicine , supine position , airway , radiography , intubation , elastic recoil , anatomy , endotracheal tube , airway management , orthodontics , surgery , lung
The shape of the standard endotracheal tube does not conform to the anatomy of the airway and this inconformity is probably the most injurious factor of tracheal intubation. In order to measure the tube recoil deformation pressure at different points of the airway, it is necessary to know the exact shape of the airway. The contours of the airway were studied from lateral radiographs in patients lying supine on the operating table, with the neck in the normal, extended and flexed position. A computer programme calculated the anterior and posterior contours of the airway as mean values of the original contours on the radiographs as well as of seven selected anatomical points. The mean configuration of the airway in non‐intubated individuals was then presented in a standard coordinate system. The “ideal” shape of the airway was subsequently designed in accordance with our results, and this shape can be used clinically as a standard for comparison in cases with suspected pathological configurations.