Surgical approach in difficult airway management.
In all difficult airway algorithms, cricothyroidotomy is the life-saving procedure and is the final 'cannot ventilate, cannot intubate' option, whether in pre-hospital, emergency department, intensive care unit, or operating room patients. Cricothyroidotomy is a relatively safe and rapid means of securing an emergency airway. As with all other critical procedures in emergency medicine, a thorough knowledge of the technique and adequate practice prior to attempting to perform an emergency cricothyroidotomy are essential.
Helm
Matthias
M
Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Federal Armed Forces Medical Center, Ulm, Germany. matthias.helm@extern.uni-ulm.de
Gries
Andre
A
Mutzbauer
Till
T
D003413:Cricoid Cartilage / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*; D004630:Emergencies; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000379:methods; D013957:Thyroid Cartilage / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000601:surgery*