Airway Management Flashcards
The three management issues in airway assessment?
Is mask ventilation going to be difficult?
Is laryngeal visualisation going to be difficult?
Is cricothyroidotomy going to be difficult?
(Can’t ventilate, can’t intubate, can’t rescue with surgical airway).
Who will be difficult to mask ventilate?
(BONES) Beard Obesity No teeth Elderly Snoring
Who will be difficult to intubate?
(4 xD’s)
Disproportion (Macroglossia, macrognathia, high arched palate, bony abnormalities, short thick neck)
Distortion (airway trauma, epiglottitis, abnormal larynx)
Dysmobility (limited mouth opening)
Dentition (passion gap, buck teeth)
What are the 3 most commonly bedside tests to predict the possibility of a difficult intubation?
Mallampati Score
Thyro-mental distance
Extension at the atlanto-occipital joint
(Inidividually - poor predictive value, but good when used in combination)
Mallampati Score/Classification:
Performed with patient in sitting position, head in neutral position, mouth wide open and tongue protruding to maximum.
I: Soft palate, fauces, whole uvula, anterior and posterior pillars (best)
II: Soft palate, fauces, most of uvula
III: Soft palate and base of the uvula
IV: Only hard palate visible (worst)
Thyromental Distance:
Distance from lower mandible (in the midline from the chin) to the thyroid notch (when patients neck fully extended).
What thyro-mentral distance is predictive of a difficult intubation?
Less than 3 finger-breadths/less than 6cm
What maneuvers can be performed to provide a patent airway?
Head tilt and chin lift.
Jaw thrust.
Effective mask ventilation in a spontaneously breathing patient can be determined by?
Good expansion of the chest during inspiration.
Absence of accessory muscle use and tracheal tug.
Inspection of the reservoir bag of the breathing circuit to gain an indication of tidal volume.
Signs of upper airway obstruction:
Stridor
Tracheal tug
Accessory muscle use
“See-saw movement” of the abdomen and chest:
Complete upper airway obstruction
Severe or complete upper airway obstruction may lead to:
Negative pressure pulmonary oedema (which may necessitate re-intubation and ventilation in ICU)
Severe or complete upper airway obstruction usually occurs in:
Otherwise fit strong and healthy individuals.
Advantages of tracheal intubation?
- Guaranteed airway
- Protection from aspiration of gastric contents
- Ability to provide effective positive pressure ventilation
- Ability to clear secretions from respiratory tract by suctioning
Indications for tracheal intubation?
- Controlled ventilation (gold standard for isolating trachea and bronchial tree) - i.e. if patient is to be paralysed and cannot breathe spontaneously
- Protection of the airway (cuffed tube provides protection from aspiration and allows for suctioning)
- Maintenance of a patent airway - in an unusual operative position, if airway inaccessible, anesthetist and surgeon operating in same airway, anticipated difficulties with facemask/LMA ventilation
- Postoperative ventilation in ICU
Equipment needed for intubation?
(IMALES) Introducer Mask, Magill's forceps Airways, Ambubag, Alternative airway (LMA) Laryngoscopes Endotracheal tubes Suction
