title: [Cervical spine instability: point of view of the anesthesiologist].
abstract: The experience in airway management permits the anesthesiologist to participate in cases of cervical spine instability in the operating room when the patient is subjected to surgical procedures, or in cases of difficulty to access or keep the airway open in emergencies. This article reviews the epidemiology, definition, etiology, diagnostic criteria, methods of approach to airway management, and current recommendations on handling cervical instability in different scenarios. There is no approach to the airway that ensures complete immobility of the cervical spine, but there are methods that are better adapted to specific contexts; at the end, the reader will be able to identify the virtues and defects of the various options that the anesthesiologists have to address the airway in cases of cervical instability.
authors.affiliation: Anestesiología & Reanimación, Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena, Colombia. Electronic address: ricardopovedamd@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Poveda Jaramillo
authors.affiliation: Instituto Roosevelt, Bogotá, Colombia.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Paredes Sanín
authors.affiliation: Clínica Medihelp Services, Cartagena, Colombia.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Carvajal
authors.affiliation: Clínica Medihelp Services, Cartagena, Colombia.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Carrasquilla
authors.affiliation: Anestesiología & Reanimación, Universidad de Cartagena, Cartagena, Colombia.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Murillo Deluquez
mesh_terms: D058109:Airway Management / Q000379:methods*; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D000776:Anesthesiology / Q000379:methods*; D001268:Atlanto-Axial Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D001269:Atlanto-Occipital Joint / Q000503:physiopathology; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D004630:Emergencies; D006801:Humans; D007103:Immobilization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000379:methods; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology; D007593:Joint Instability / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D056888:Patient Positioning; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: Anestesia; Anestesiología; Anesthesia; Anesthesiology; Columna; Inestabilidad; Instability; Intubación; Intubation; Spine