title: Complications of managing the airway.
abstract: The inability to secure the airway, with consequent failure of oxygenation and ventilation, is a life-threatening complication. Failure of oxygenation leads to hypoxia followed by brain damage, cardiovascular dysfunction, and finally death. Time is a very crucial factor in this context. Complications vary widely in severity; while some are dramatic and immediately life-threatening (unrecognized esophageal intubation), others can be severe and long-lasting (nerve injuries) or mild and short-lived (sore throat). To minimize injury to the patient, the anesthesiologist should examine the patient's airway carefully, identify any potential problems, devise a plan that involves the least risk for injury, and have a back-up plan immediately available. Each anesthesiology department should establish guidelines/algorithms specific to their institution. Unfortunately, a reliable test for detecting all patients at risk does not exist.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, USA. carin.a.hagberg@uth.tmc.edu
authors.forename: Carin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hagberg
authors.forename: Rainer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Georgi
authors.forename: Claude
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Krier
mesh_terms: D001986:Bronchial Spasm / Q000209:etiology; D003371:Cough / Q000209:etiology; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology; D005764:Gastroesophageal Reflux / Q000209:etiology; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D019586:Intracranial Hypertension / Q000209:etiology; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D007826:Laryngismus / Q000209:etiology; D020315:Latex Hypersensitivity / Q000209:etiology; D009798:Ocular Hypertension / Q000209:etiology; D014135:Tracheal Stenosis / Q000209:etiology; D014839:Vomiting / Q000209:etiology; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000209:etiology