ICU SAQs · Airway management
Emergency surgical airway — cricothyroidotomy
A CICM SAQ on emergency front-of-neck access — the scalpel-bougie cricothyroidotomy technique, laryngeal anatomy, equipment, complications, and the human-factors lesson on delay.
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Prompt
You cannot intubate or oxygenate an adult patient. Describe the technique of emergency cricothyroidotomy, the relevant anatomy and landmarks, the equipment required, and the potential complications.
Question
You cannot intubate or oxygenate an adult patient. Describe the technique of emergency cricothyroidotomy, the relevant anatomy and landmarks, the equipment required, and the potential complications.[4]
References5ShowHide
- [1]Higgs A, McGrath BA, Goddard C, et al. Guidelines for the management of tracheal intubation in critically ill adults (DAS 2018). British Journal of Anaesthesia, 2018.PMID 29406182
- [2]Alkhouri H, Richards C, et al. Emergency front-of-neck surgical airways in Australian and New Zealand emergency departments. Emergency Medicine Australasia, 2021.PMID 33179449
- [3]Bersten AD, Soni N (eds) Oh's Intensive Care Manual. 8th edition, Elsevier, 2018.
- [4]Frerk C, et al. Difficult Airway Society 2015 guidelines for management of unanticipated difficult intubation in adults Br J Anaesth, 2015.PMID 26556848
- [5]Cook TM, et al. Major complications of airway management in the UK: results of the Fourth National Audit Project of the Royal College of Anaesthetists and the Difficult Airway Society (NAP4) Br J Anaesth, 2011.PMID 21447489