Re: aspiration pneumonia - christine

[Guest guest]

Hi .

Hope everything is going better for you now......we were

concerned.

What you mentioned about aspiration pneumonia is where the

OR protocol and ER work may differ. In ER intubation it is

basically impossible to aspirate once you are intubated because

the tubes that we used on the rescue squad not only provided an

unobstructed airway to the lungs but it put a barrier between the

esophageal contents and the trachea (we inflated a cuff around

the tube). So while it is possible to get some fluid into the lungs

during the intubation process itself, once it was established and

the cuff was inflated it is virtually impossible to aspirate. In

addition, it is possible to suction the esophagus and stomach

contents so that aspiration can be virtually eliminated.......well not

eliminated but at least reduced.

That was what I was referring to when I mentioned that my

knowledge of OR protocols and equipment etc may not be up to

par.....maybe the ET tubes that they use in GA do not provide a

barrier to aspiration like the ones we used in the rescue

squad.........

Ideally, even with surgery on an emergency basis, when there is

little chance of the patient being NPO for 12 to 24 hours,

aspiration can be avoided. It is not uncommon for the surgeon

to suction the stomach empty in those cases. The NPO rule is

somewhat rigidly applied to elective surgery and surgery when

you can control the conditions because of the seriousness of

aspiration pneumonia.

laurie