Equipment for airway management

Ross, Alastair K.; Ball, David R.

doi:10.1016/j.mpaic.2009.07.004

« Previous Next »Anaesthesia & intensive care medicine
Volume 10, Issue 10 , Pages 471-475, October 2009

Equipment for airway management

Alastair K Ross MBChB is a Specialty Registrar in Anaesthetics on the West of Scotland Training scheme. He qualified from Glasgow University, UK, and his interests include difficult airway management and anaesthesia for trauma. Conflicts of interests: none declared

David R Ball MBBS is a Consultant Anaesthetist at the Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary, Dumfries, UK. He qualified from Oxford University and St Bartholomew's Hospital, and trained in Newcastle, Scotland, UK, and Los Angeles, USA. His interests include human factors and airway management. Conflicts of interest: none declared

Abstract

Airway management allows protection and provision of gas exchange and needs safe, effective and reliable use of equipment, often in combination. A management plan with back-up plans is crucial. Correct equipment use needs correct knowledge, skill and attitude. We describe the ‘RAW’ approach (Ready, Able, Willing) and list five phases of airway management in which equipment is used. These are: facemask ventilation with adjuncts, airway clearance with suction or foreign body removal, use of supraglottic airway devices, tracheal intubation with a variety of laryngoscopes including the flexible fibre-optic bronchoscope and subglottic management using cricothyroidotomy or tracheostomy. Tracheal tubes and aids for placement are described.

Keywords: airway, bougie, cricothyroidotomy, flexible fibre-optic bronchoscope, laryngeal mask airway, laryngoscope, optical stylet, tracheal intubation, tracheal tube, tracheostomy