Difficult Airway Algorithms
Difficult Airway Algorithms. Difficult airway algorithms are useful for considering all the contingencies that may occur during intubation
Category Airway
Delayed sequence intubation (DSI)
Delayed sequence intubation (DSI) is procedural sedation, where the procedure is preoxygenation. DSI may be useful in the patient for whom rapid sequence intubation would inevitably result in significant hypoxaemia because they cannot be preoxygenated by other means
Airway Obstruction
Complete obstruction of the upper airway occurs when there is inability to talk, cough or breath. Apnea and cyanosis are present and paradoxical respirations may be noted.
Cricoid pressure
Cricoid pressure aka Sellick manoeuvre or, most accurately, cricoid force;the technique was first described in 1961 by Sellick to prevent aspiration, though Monroe used a similar method in 1774 to prevent gastric insufflation
Can’t Intubate
OVERVIEW AN APPROACH References and Links
Coroner’s clot
The 'Coroner's clot' is an occult clot of blood remaining in the nasopharynx behind the soft palate following local surgery or trauma that has the potential to cause fatal airway obstruction following extubation/ removal of a supraglottic airway device (SAD)
Bougie
Bougie, aka Eschmann tracheal tube introducer. the name "gum elastic bougie" is erroneous - it is not made of resins, it is not elastic and it is not used for dilatation
Trismus and Restricted Mouth Opening
Trismus classically refers to reduced opening of the jaws caused by spasm of the muscles of mastication (temporalis, masseter, medial pterygoid and lateral pterygoid). Trismus may also be used to refer to restricted mouth opening in general
Blind Digital Intubation
Digital intubation allows intubation to be performed without a laryngoscope or a view of the larynx; may be performed with or without a bougie
Awake Intubation
Awake Intubation can be performed using direct or video laryngoscopy or using a fiberoptic scope, and various methods of topicalisation/ local anaesthesia are described
Angioedema
Angioedema is a clinical diagnosis characterized by the abrupt onset of non-pitting, non-pruritic swelling that involves the reticular dermis, subcutaneous, and submucosal layers