01.20.2019 - By Zack Olson, MD and Michael Estephan, MD
How do you oxygenate a patient (while you are preparing for RSI) if suction, moving the tongue, and basic BVM ventilation are unsuccessful?
Pharyngeal Airways
* These tools bypass the posterior portion of the tongue to help with BVM ventilation* Nasopharyngeal Airway (NP)* Measure from earlobe to tip of nose* TEST QUESTION: Don’t use in a patient with possible skull fracture* Oropharyngeal Airway (OP)* Measure from earlobe to corner of mouth
Laryngeal Mask Airway (LMA)
* Essentially a modified BVM to place inside the mouth* It fits OVER the larynx (cords, epiglottis, etc)
Retroglottic Airways
* “King”* “Combitube”
Additional Reading
* Laryngeal Mask Airway (Wikipedia)* King Airway (Wikipedia)* Combitube (Wikipedia)