AIRWAY MANAGEMENT in the management of patients

very important topic for medical professionals

1. AIRWAY MANAGEMENT

2. Airway  management is the evaluation, planning, and use of medical procedures and devices for the purpose of maintaining or restoring ventilation in a patient. These procedures are indicated in patients undergoing general anesthesia and in patients with respiratory failure or acute  airway  obstruction . Airway management is a primary consideration in the fields of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, anaesthesia,  emergency medicine , intensive care medicine, and first aid. The "A" in the  CAB treatment  mnemonic is for airway. [3]

3. The most common cause of upper airway obstruction in the unconscious /unresponsive patient is loss of tone in the throat muscles The tongue falls back and occludes the airway at the level of the pharynx

4. BASIC AIRWAY OPENING TECHNIQUES Releives the airway obstruction Head tilt- chin lift(head tilt with anterior displacement of the mandible) Basic airway opening technique

5. In the trauma patient with suspected neck injury,use a jaw thrust without head extension

6. Airway adjuncts OPA( O ropharyngeal Airway) NPA(Nasopharyngeal Airway)

7. OPA Used in patients who are at risk of developing airway obstruction J shaped device fits over the tongue to hold it and the soft hypo pharyngeal structures away from the posterior wall of the pharynx Used in unconscious patients

8. NPA Used as an alternative to OPA Soft rubber or plastic uncuffed tube that provides a conduit for airflow between the nares and the pharynx Used in unconscious patients also Indicated when OPA insertion is technically difficult or dangerous

9. Advanced airways Laryngeal mask airways Laryngeal tube Esophageal tracheal tube Endo tracheal tube

10. LMA

11. Laryngeal Tube

12. Esophageal tracheal tube

13. Removal of foreign objects The ingestion and aspiration of foreign objects poses a common and dangerous problem in young children. It remains one of the leading cause of death in children under the age of 5 During such crisis, caretakers may attempt back blows, abdominal thrust, or the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge the inhaled object and reestablish airflow into the lungs

14. Surgical methods Surgical methods for airway management rely on making a surgical incision below the glottis in order to achieve direct access to the lower respiratory tract, bypassing the upper respiratory tract. Surgical airway management is often performed as a last resort in cases where orotracheal and nasotracheal  intubation are impossible or contraindicated. Surgical airway management is also used when a person will need a mechanical ventilator for a longer period. Surgical methods for airway management include  cricothyrotomy  and tracheostomy