Tag: airway management

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Anticipated Difficult Intubation: Should I Intubate The Patient Awake?

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For every intubation, you must decide whether it is safer to proceed with the patient awake or asleep. Many clinicians are uncomfortable with awake intubation and reserve it as a last resort, often because of limited experience or concern that the patient will remember the procedure negatively. However, awake intubation can be both safe and well tolerated in many situations. This article reviews key factors that help determine when awake intubation is the better choice. Read More …

Announcing My New Book: Basic Airway Management- A Step-by-Step Guide

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I’m excited to announce the publication of my new book Pediatric Airway Management: A Step-by-Step Guide, by Christine E. Whitten MD.   Quickly recognizing respiratory distress and managing the airway is critical in emergencies. Airway management includes more than intubation—skills like opening the airway, using oral and nasal airways, and Read More …

Cricoid Pressure Requires Communication & Teamwork

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To be effective, cricoid pressure must be applied using the correct force, at the correct spot, using the correct angle. It therefore, requires good communication between intubator and the applier. Article discusses technique. #FOAMED Read More …

Airway Obstruction Can Occur After Thyroglossal Duct Excision

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Airway obstruction can occur following uneventful thyroglossal duct excision because of removal of the hyoid bone. This article describes reasons why the anatomical change can cause obstruction and discusses a case where such airway obstruction needed treatment in the immediate postoperative period. Read More …

Getting A Good Mask Seal When Ventilating a Patient

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Use of a bag-valve-mask device is one of the most important skills you can master in patient care. Many of my students have a hard time ventilating with a bag-valve-mask device because they fail to get a good seal with the mask. So let’s discuss how to place the mask step-by-step. Read More …