Category: Airway obstruction

Illustration of aspirating air from a transtracheal catheter prior to percutaneous jet ventilation

Essential Guide to Catheter-Over-Needle Cricothyrotomy

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Catheter-over-needle cricothyrotomy (CONC) and using percutaneous jet ventilation (PCJV), is a front-of-neck airway (FONA) technique that can be lifesaving when conventional airway methods fail during can’t intubate can’t ventilate (CICV) situations. While lifesaving, it carries risks like airway obstruction and cardiovascular collapse. Proper training, adherence to indications, and vigilant monitoring during use are essential for safe application in emergencies. #anesthesia #FOAMED Read More …

How To Open The Airway

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How to open the airway is an essential skill that every health provider should know. Of all the airway skills, it’s the easiest to master and the most likely to save lives in respiratory distress and failure. This article details recognizing airway obstruction, techniques to open the airway, and insertion of Read More …

To Open The Airway, Optimally Position The Head and Neck

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Discussion of how to open an airway using lateral neck X-rays to demonstrate how positioning the head and neck can either open or obstruct the airway. Read More …

photo of rocking chest motion of a child with airway obstruction

Pediatric Airway Risks: Inefficient Mechanics of Breathing

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In many ways pediatric anatomy and physiology predisposes a child to respiratory distress and respiratory failure. Inefficient mechanics of breathing is one major risk factor for infants and young children. This article discusses the ways the anatomy of a child creates inefficient mechanics of breathing and predisposes to respiratory distress and failure. Read More …

Not All Airway Emergencies Need Intubation

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An emergency department physician I met the other day shared with me an experience from her hospital  that offers a good example of the fact that there are many different ways of managing an airway emergency in a child that don’t involve intubation. Medical management can sometimes avoid some of the risks of losing the airway that intubation might impose. Read More …

Airway Emergency: Start With The Basics of Airway Management

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A case of “can’t intubate- can’t ventilate is discussed which illustrates the importance of always using good techniques of basic airway management. Read More …

Photo of simulated post patient in respiratory with airway obstruction and distress

Recognizing Airway Obstruction May Save Your Patient’s Life

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Airway obstruction, one of the most serious and potentially life-threatening problems a patient can have, can occur in any patient given the right combination of mental and physical conditions. Respiratory insufficiency and failure from both upper or lower airway obstruction share many of the same symptoms and signs. Being able to recognize the signs of airway obstruction may save your patient’s life. Read More …

Photo comparing a relaxed larynx with open vocal cords to a photo of laryngospasm in the same larynx.

Laryngospasm is a Life-Threatening Emergency

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One of the more frightening events in anesthesia is laryngospasm: the protective, reflex, spasmodic closure of the vocal cords that occurs when the vocal cords are stimulated. This article discusses the mechanism of laryngospasm, and how to treat it. Read More …