Blades

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In the course of about a week, my partner has run five cardiac arrests, and I have run two. I'm starting to think we're going to get a reputation. Like anyone else, I am more excited when I see something treatable on the monitor and not just asystole. One that I ran, we shocked seven times, and the other got pulses back from PEA. Of all the arrests I know of from last week, two had pulses and blood pressures well after we got them to the ER, which is pretty rare.

For the second time, I successfully used a miller laryngoscope blade. This guy didn't have rigor, but his neck was so stiff that when I took the pillow out from under his head, his head remained suspended there about three inches above the floor. It was strange, so I pulled out a miller blade and it worked beautifully. Some of my coworkers would now call me a real paramedic.
So, the point of all this is to ask my intubating readers what blade you gravitate to when you open up your kit and cast your eyes over the gleaming laryngoscopes. I usually go for a mac, but I still believe that millers have their uses (prying lids off of jars or something).
For those non intubating readers, sorry that most of this post makes no sense. The picture I've put up is one of the greatest sights in the world, vocal cords that lead us right to the airway and a successful intubation.

Comments

Unknown said…
What an awesome photo of the cords!

And you are definitely more of a medic than I am; I have never used a Miller blade on anyone. At least not yet...
13 March, 2009
Anonymous said…
Size 5 mac blade always - although we aren't as lucky a you for choices. We have Mac 2, 4 and 5, nothing else. As is the case everywhere though we are now encouraged to use supraglottic devices before thinking of an ETT. I'm in the process of trialing the iGel LMA and the LMA supreme to see which one our service will move to.
14 March, 2009
Kal said…
So far, in my grossly limited experience, I'm all about the Mac5 - as my anaesthetist tutor said "Longer blade, less width at the longest point. Easy."

Haven't played with a Miller yet - have to give one a spin one day.
14 March, 2009
Anonymous said…
wiat you get choices!! in the vet world i have short and thin or long and thicker.... i so got screwed haha

and congrats!
14 March, 2009
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