[Inflation of the endotracheal tube cuff as an aid for blind nasotracheal intubation in patients with predicted difficult laryngoscopy]. / El inflado del neumotaponamiento como ayuda para la intubación nasotraqueal a ciegas en pacientes con predicción de laringoscopia difícil.

HYPOTHESIS AND OBJECTIVES: Inflation of the tracheal tube cuff to facilitate blind nasal intubation as described by Gobarck in 1987 has been shown to be effective for increasing the rate of successful intubation from 45 to 95% in patients with no airway alterations. We aimed to assess the usefulness of this technique in patients with anatomical alterations of the airway, in whom difficult intubation was predicted. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We enrolled 25 patients with airway alterations that made laryngoscopy likely to be difficult and who were scheduled for neoplastic maxillofacial surgery. RESULTS: Twelve patients (48%) were intubated on the first try, 5 (20%) on the second try and 6 (24%) on the third try. We were unable to intubate 2 patients (8%) after three tries, and therefore opted to intubate with a fiberoptic endoscope. CONCLUSIONS: Inflation of the tracheal tube cuff is useful for facilitating nasotracheal intubation in the awake patient.

[Traumatic tear of the diaphragm]. / Rotura traumática del diafragma.

We have carried out a 9-month retrospective study in the Emergency Resuscitation Unit; 21 patients with abdominal trauma, 42 patients with chest trauma and 895 patients with multiple injuries were treated; 197 (22%) of the latter had also chest and/or abdomen involvement. Of the 260 patients with chest and/or abdomen involvement, six (2.3%) patients had traumatic tear of the diaphragm and four of them, presented thoracic herniation of abdominal content. Diagnostic suspicion was entertained in five patients by means of x-ray plain chest film; diagnosis was confirmed by a barium meal in two patients. In one patient, the diagnosis was established perioperatively. All patients had associated lesions. Four patients required mechanical ventilation after the operation. One patient died of cardiogenic shock on the fourth postoperative day. We emphasize the importance of the suspicion of such condition in patients with multiple injuries with chest and/or abdomen involvement.

[Use of axillary perivascular blockage of the brachial plexus with a catheter as treatment in accidental intra-arterial injection of drugs]. / Utilización del bloqueo perivascular axilar del plexo braquial mediante catéter como tratamiento de la inyección accidental intraarterial de fármacos.

We report the intraarterial injection of a flunitrazepam tablet dissolved in water in a patient with intravenous drugs addiction. Several ecchymotic lesions were present at different sites of the arm. In order to achieve analgesia and the sympathetic blockade of the arm, we performed an axillary perivascular block of the brachial plexus by means of the intermittent injection through a catheter of 0.25% bupivacaine with a 1:200,000 epinephrine solution. In addition, an anticoagulant treatment with heparin was started as prophylaxis of the thrombosis of the vessel. There was a satisfactory clinical course even though a distal phalange had to be amputated on the 18th day. We propose the continuous perivascular block as the method of choice of this type of medical problem.