At the Head End: Debate Special — “To Intubate or Not?”

A parturient under spinal anesthesia suddenly can’t speak — aphonia without desaturation. Do you intubate immediatelyto preempt airway collapse and protect against aspiration, or do you hold your ground, monitor closely, and avoid an unnecessary GA with all its risks for mother and fetus?

In this episode, we stage a head-to-head debate:

• One voice argues for early airway control — citing high spinal progression, full-stomach physiology, and medicolegal safety.
• The other defends conservative vigilance — highlighting maternal difficult airway risks, fetal drug exposure, and the principle of avoiding unnecessary GA.

We’ll weigh red flags, green flags, and international medicolegal perspectives from India, the UK, the USA, and Europe. Clear frameworks, sharp reasoning, and practical takeaways — all from At the Head End, where real clinical dilemmas meet debate.