title: Emergency cricothyrostomy--technique and anatomical considerations.
abstract: Cricothyrostomy is the procedure of choice for emergency airway control when nasotracheal and endotracheal intubation are not possible or contraindicated. A vertical skin incision followed by a horizontal incision in the cricothyroid membrane are used. A number 6 tracheostomy tube should be used due to the anatomic size of the cricothyroid space. Using this technique, complications are rare.
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000601:surgery; D003413:Cricoid Cartilage / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D006801:Humans; D007817:Laryngeal Cartilages / Q000601:surgery*; D007829:Laryngostenosis / Q000209:etiology; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D013957:Thyroid Cartilage / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*