Recorded 19th Jun 2023

Full video livestream of all Airwaves Podcasts is available on the Safe Airway Society YouTube channel.

In this episode we go back to basics to discuss the what is arguably the most important and difficult upper airway technique to master - facemask ventilation.

Host Nicholas Chrimes is joined by Pierre Bradley & Joanna Simpson to discuss why facemask ventilation is important, how to optimise it, how to document it and much more.

Useful Resources:

Facemask Ventilation article by Pierre Bradley in BJA Education: https://www.bjaed.org/article/S2058-5349(21)00126-8/pdf

Facemask Optimisations from the Vortex Approach: http://vortexapproach.org/lifelines#fmv

ANZCA Airway Assessment document: https://libguides.anzca.edu.au/ld.php?content_id=48533093

Articles on test facemark ventilation before giving muscle relaxants:

• Evaluation of changes in tidal volume during mask ventilation following administration of neuromuscular blocking drugs https://associationofanaesthetists-publications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/anae.12677
• Could ‘safe practice’ be compromising safe practice? https://associationofanaesthetists-publications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2044.2007.05429.x
• Face-mask ventilation: the neglected essentials? https://associationofanaesthetists-publications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/anae.14703
• Facemask ventilation before or after neuromuscular blocking drugs: where are we now? https://associationofanaesthetists-publications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/anae.12792
• Checking mask ventilation before neuromuscular block: A nation-wide survey of anaesthetists’ attitudes and thinking. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/aas.13426 

Difficult Airway Alert Form: https://www.safercare.vic.gov.au/sites/default/files/2023-02/Victorian%20difficult%20airway%20alert%20and%20support%20document.pdf

Grading systems for outcome of facemask ventilation:

• Concord Scale - capnography grading scale for objective description of mask ventilation: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0007091217372094?pes=vorhttps://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0007091217372094?pes=vor
• Han Scale: https://pubs.asahq.org/anesthesiology/article/101/1/267/8519/Grading-Scale-for-Mask-Ventilation

Join SAS: https://www.SafeAirwaySociety.org/join