Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.
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Airway opening pressure
The pressure at the access point to a patient’s airway, (nose, mouth, or for a mechanically ventilated patient, trachea). When this pressure exceeds the pressure in the alveoli, gases tend to move into the lower airways and open the alveoli. When this pressure is less than alveolar pressure, gases tend to move out of the…
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Ineffective airway clearance
The inability to clear secretions or obstructions from the upper respiratory tract, and thus, to maintain an open, effective airway.
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Nasopharyngeal airway
A soft, flexible uncuffed tube placed through the nasal passages so that the distal tip rests in the nasopharynx. It is used to maintain the free passage of air to and from the lungs in patients with facial trauma or lockjaw or in nearly comatose patients who are breathing spontaneously. Before the tube is inserted,…
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Laryngeal mask airway
A temporary airway management device used to resuscitate patients who require endotracheal intubation but in whom intubation has failed or is unlikely to be successful. Untrained personnel find the device easier to use than standard intubation equipment because direct visualization of laryngeal anatomy is unnecessary. The LMA can be used in the field as well…
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Combitube airway
A trademarked name for a dual-lumen airway consisting of a tracheal tube linked to an esophageal tube. It may be inserted blindly into theoropharynx as an airway control device when an endotracheal tube is not available or when tracheal intubation with direct visualization of the vocal cords is challenging.
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Air medical transportation
The use of helicopters or fixed-wing aircraft to transport patients from the scene of an incident or local hospital to a regional trauma or specialty care center,
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Air leak
Any injury to the lung in which air escapes the tracheobronchial tree. Pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, pneumopericardium, pulmonary interstitial edema, and subcutaneous emphysema are examples.
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Air gap principle
A procedure used to decrease the amount of scattered radiation reaching the radiographic film by increasing the object-image receptor distance.
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Room air
Unmodified, ambient air. The typical oxygen concentration is 21%.
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Reserve air
Expiratory reserve volume.
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