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- Feb 9, 2006
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I am a CA-2 (almost CA3 thanks goodness!!!) in what I consider to be a strong anesthesiology program. I was the senior on call last week when my pager goes off and it is the Pulmonary Fellow on call in the MICU. In my program, we are called for floor airways (yes, even with Pulm fellows if they feel uncomfortable) or any airway for that matter that has been sufficiently mucked with and needs saving.
The Case Scenario: elderly lady admitted from clinic earlier that day with PNA and resp failure, no sig heart, or renal history but she appeard septic when I arrived at the bedside since her MAP was 47. She had the rapid shallow breathing going on and was not following commands at this point. Sats on 100% NRB were 91%, no ABG done.
The Pulm fellow says, "I have a lady that I'd like to intubate for respiratory failure but my intern has never intubated before so I think it would be too rough for her to let him attempt. I'd like to be as least stimulating as possible so I want to do a fiberoptic intubation."
Note: this lady weighs 45 kgs and has no teeth, physical exam does not reveal any signs of difficult ventlation/intubation etc.
At bedside the Pulm fellow has and plans to give all of because she told me this: 6mg Versed, 20mg Etomidate, 100mg Rocuronium
yes, this is an 80 yo frail spetic lady with a MAP of 47
The Pulm fellows then says,"What I normally do is DL while I drive the scope."
I stood there with a puzzled look on my face.
To say the least, the lady got 6 mg Etomidate, 60 mg Sux, then immediately after a 5 sec DL and easy intubation with a Grade 1 view she got 1mg Versed and 120mcg phenylepherine...while they were hanging a levophed drip
The Pulm fellow still had no idea why I was puzzled that a DL while she drove the FO scope was not the least stimulating way to intubate this lady....let alone her proposed pharmaceutical assasination...
Does anyone think I was wrong for doing what I did or for being puzzled that the Pulm fellow (who is finishing in 1 year just like me) seemed to be clueless??
Please discuss...I'm okay with criticism, it's how I learn
The Case Scenario: elderly lady admitted from clinic earlier that day with PNA and resp failure, no sig heart, or renal history but she appeard septic when I arrived at the bedside since her MAP was 47. She had the rapid shallow breathing going on and was not following commands at this point. Sats on 100% NRB were 91%, no ABG done.
The Pulm fellow says, "I have a lady that I'd like to intubate for respiratory failure but my intern has never intubated before so I think it would be too rough for her to let him attempt. I'd like to be as least stimulating as possible so I want to do a fiberoptic intubation."
Note: this lady weighs 45 kgs and has no teeth, physical exam does not reveal any signs of difficult ventlation/intubation etc.
At bedside the Pulm fellow has and plans to give all of because she told me this: 6mg Versed, 20mg Etomidate, 100mg Rocuronium
yes, this is an 80 yo frail spetic lady with a MAP of 47
The Pulm fellows then says,"What I normally do is DL while I drive the scope."
I stood there with a puzzled look on my face.
To say the least, the lady got 6 mg Etomidate, 60 mg Sux, then immediately after a 5 sec DL and easy intubation with a Grade 1 view she got 1mg Versed and 120mcg phenylepherine...while they were hanging a levophed drip
The Pulm fellow still had no idea why I was puzzled that a DL while she drove the FO scope was not the least stimulating way to intubate this lady....let alone her proposed pharmaceutical assasination...
Does anyone think I was wrong for doing what I did or for being puzzled that the Pulm fellow (who is finishing in 1 year just like me) seemed to be clueless??
Please discuss...I'm okay with criticism, it's how I learn