Videolaryngoscopy: towards a new standard method for tracheal intubation in the ICU?

Excerpt

Tracheal intubation is one of the most common and hazardous procedures in the intensive care unit (ICU). In fact, about 20 % of ICU patients experience severe hypoxemia, which in the worst case leads to death [1‐3]. Other common complications are esophageal intubation, aspiration, and bronchial intubation, among others [1‐5]. The problems associated with tracheal intubation in the ICU can be divided into two categories. The first comprises complications due to the removal of sympathetic tone by sedative drugs, such as propofol, which cause cardiovascular depression that may worsen the detrimental effects of pre-existing hypoxemia. The second category consists of complications due to any delay in the correct placement of the endotracheal tube, which can lead to aspiration and/or severe hypoxemia and cardiovascular deterioration, such as arrhythmias, hypotension, and cardiovascular collapse. …