Final answer:
Endotracheal intubation is a safe procedure used during general anesthesia to maintain an open airway to the lungs and prevent complications. It allows the anesthesiologist to control the patient's respiration, and the tube is removed when the patient's breathing muscles start functioning again. This helps ensure the patient's safety and smooth recovery after surgery.
Step-by-step explanation:
During general anesthesia, the muscles necessary for breathing and moving the tongue can be affected. Under anesthesia, the tongue can relax and partially or fully block the airway, and the muscles of respiration may not move the diaphragm or chest wall. To avoid complications, the safest procedure is endotracheal intubation. This involves placing a tube into the trachea to maintain an open airway to the lungs and seal it off from the oropharynx. After surgery, when the muscles of respiration begin to function, the tube is removed, and it takes about 30 minutes for the patient to fully wake up and regain control of their breathing.
Endotracheal intubation is used to ensure a patient's safety and prevent any issues with breathing or airway obstruction during anesthesia. It allows the anesthesiologist to control the patient's respiration while they are unconscious, and gradually adjust the mixture of gases to wake the patient up. This procedure is commonly used in surgeries to ensure the patient's well-being throughout the operation.