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Primary Survey Airway EvaluationAka: Emergency Airway Management

Pathophysiology
1. Tongue most commonly obstructs unconscious patient
Assess
1. Signs of impending airway compromise
2. Evaluate for trauma related airway compromise
  1. Maxillofacial trauma
  2. Neck trauma
  3. Laryngeal trauma
    1. Hoarseness
    2. Subcutaneous Emphysema
Management
1. Assume Cervical Spine Injury
  1. Maintain inline cervical spine stabilization
  2. Consider SCIWORA in pediatric patients
2. Airway Suction
  1. Blood
  2. Mucus
  3. Dental fragments
3. Open Airway
  1. Head Tilt-Chin Lift
  2. Jaw Thrust (if Cervical Spine Injury is suspected)
4. Maintain Airway
  1. Oropharyngeal Airway
  2. Nasopharyngeal Airway
Trauma Pitfalls:
1. Foreign body in airway
2. Cervical Spine Injury
3. Mandibular or Maxillofacial Fracture
4. Trachea or Larynx disruption
5. Aspiration of gastric contents

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This page was written by Scott Moses, MD, and was last revised 1/26/2008. Please send comments and questions to the editor. Contact information may be found on the page About the Family Practice Notebook. These pages are best viewed with Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0.