title: [Management of the upper airway in spontaneously breathing children. A challenge for the anaesthetist].
abstract: In unconscious, spontaneously breathing and anaesthetised children, a high incidence of partial or complete airway obstruction jeopardizes sufficient oxygenation. In this situation, the most important and efficient manoeuvre is to open up the upper airway. Chin lift, jaw thrust and continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) are proven and effective methods for opening an obstructed upper airway. In addition to these simple airway manoeuvres, different techniques of body positioning (e.g., lateral positioning or supine position in combination with the "sniffing position") are effective to improve and maintain upper airway patency.
authors.affiliation: Departement Anästhesie, Universitätskinderspital beider Basel, UKBB, Basel, Schweiz. bvonungern@uhbs.ch
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: von Ungern-Sternberg
authors.forename: T O
authors.initials: TO
authors.lastname: Erb
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Frei
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D000758:Anesthesia; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000009:adverse effects; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D016683:Supine Position
chemical_list: D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives