While awake tracheal intubation is a safer alternative for airway management in certain patients, it is not without its own hazards.
Patient selection: awake intubation
Overall complication rate: up to 18%
Complications may include:
(1) hypoxemia (laryngospasm, airway obstruction)
(2) hypercapnia
(3) cardiac arrhythmia
(4) hypotension
(5) aspiration
(6) cancellation of the surgical procedure
(7) patient discomfort/distress
(8) oversedation
(9) allergic reaction to medications
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Specialty: Anesthesiology, Surgery, general
