Gastrostomy Tube Replacement John W. Graneto Introduction Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement was introduced in 1980 in Cleveland, Ohio, as a procedure for children who required long-term nutritional support…
Gastric Intubation Harold K. Simon Maia S. Rutman William Lewander Introduction Gastric intubation for medical purposes dates back to Hermann Boerhaave (1668–1738), who first suggested inserting gastric tubes, and John…
Management of Esophageal Foreign Bodies Jeff E. Schunk Nanette C. Dudley Introduction Young children often swallow foreign bodies because of their inquisitive nature and propensity for pica (1). Esophageal impaction…
Introduction to Conventional Mechanical Ventilation Joseph W. Luria Introduction The appropriate use of mechanical ventilation is a requisite skill for all physicians caring for children who are critically ill. The…
Thoracentesis Gregg A. DiGiulio Introduction A pleural effusion is a collection of fluid in the potential space that exists between the visceral and parietal pleurae of the lung. The causes…
Replacement of a Tracheostomy Cannula Jean Marie Kallis Introduction Replacing a tracheostomy cannula is typically a routine and simple procedure. Parents of children with tracheostomies perform this task on a…
Suctioning the Trachea Mary E. Lacher Introduction Suctioning is a technique used to maintain airway patency by removing pulmonary secretions, blood, vomitus, saliva, or other foreign material. Removal of these…
Use of Metered Dose Inhalers, Spacers, Dry Powder Inhalers, and Nebulizers Morton E. Salomon Frank A. Illuzzi Introduction Respiratory diseases such as asthma, croup, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) are among…
Peak Flow Rate Measurement Niranjan Kissoon Introduction Peak expiratory flow is the greatest flow that can be obtained during a forced expiration starting from full inflation of the lung (i.e.,…
End-Tidal Carbon Dioxide Monitoring Javier A. Gonzalez del Rey Introduction Measurement of variations in the respiratory cycle of expired carbon dioxide (CO2) by displayed waveform and by absolute numerical values…
