Airway Management Flashcards
In simple terms, airway management is the process of what?
Ensuring an open pathway for air to travel between the patients lungs and the outside world while reducing the risk of aspiration
CNS depression, cardiac arrest, LOC and even sleep can reduce what function that maintains airway patency?
Muscle tone
What conditions can depress the airway tone in a patient?
CNS depression
Cardiac arrest
Loss of consciousness
Sleep
What can cause CNS depression?
Drug overdose
Anesthesia
A patient who has lost consciousness is at an increased risk of aspiration due to what?
Loss or diminished swallow, gag, laryngeal, tracheal and carinal reflexes
The gag, laryngeal, tracheal and carinal reflexes can be reduced resulting in an increased risk of aspiration. Why does the risk of aspiration increase when these reflexes are suppressed?
These reflexes all initiate the the cough reflex so if they are suppressed, foreign bodies, secretions or vomit in the airways can result in aspiration
Give some examples of situations that could cause partial or complete airway obstruction
Posterior displacement of the tongue
Foreign objects
Allergic reactions
Infections
Anatomical abnormalities
Trauma
What is the most common cause of airway obstruction in unconscious patients?
Posterior displacement of the tongue
T/F: Neurologic tissue can be severely damaged by hypoxic conditions within minutes
True. duh.
If the patient is conscious, how can you assess their airway patency?
By asking them to speak
Observing whether or not they are distressed and obviously having trouble breathing. Grabbing their neck and gasping generally is a good sign that they arent breathing very efficiently
What is the gold standard for securing an airway?
Endotracheal intubation
T/F: Basic airway management will protect against aspiration of gastric contents should vomiting occur?
False. Basic airway management will not protect against aspiration of gastric contents
Why is it important to have suction equipment ready during airway procedures
To clear secretions and material that could be aspirated on
What is the purpose of the jaw thrust or the head tilt/chin lift maneuver?
Open airway and reposition the tongue so that is is not obstruction the airway
What is the definition of manual resuscitation?
Method of providing artificial ventilation by the care giver
When is manual resuscitation administered?
Manual resuscitation is administered to patient who are unable to sustain adequate spontaneous ventilation
T/F: an impaired cough is not an indication for manual resuscitation
False
T/F: Manual resuscitation can be used to hyper inflate the lungs and increase oxygen tension
True
What are the indications for manual resuscitation?
Emergent respiratory failure
Apnea
Cardiac arrest
Impaired cough
Increase oxygen tension
Facilitate suctioning
Hyper inflation of the lungs
Transporting an unstable or intubated patient
What position should a patient be in for manual resuscitation
Supine
What should always be done to the bag before placing it on the patient?
Bag should be tested for leaks by blocking the patient side and squeezing the bag. If resistance is not felt, check valves or toss bag and get a new one
The goals of airway management include:
Decreasing the risk of aspiration
Ensuring and open pathway between a patients lung and the outside environment
What are some common causes of airway obstructions?
Infections (croup)
Foreign matter in airway
Anatomical abnormalities
Allergic reactions
Trauma
T/F: Collapsed lung tissue constitutes an airway obstruction
False
What is the function of an Oropharyngeal airway (OPA)?
Assists in airway patency
Prevents tongue from falling onto the back of the throat and obstructing the airway
An oropharyngeal airway should be used on a patient that:
Does not have a gag reflex
Unconscious
If a patient has a gag reflex, what adjunct airway should be used?
Nasopharyngeal airway (NPA)
What will happen if an NPA (Nasopharyngeal airway) is too short?
An NPA that is too short will fail to separate the soft palate and the tongue from the posterior pharynx
What can happen if an NPA (nasopharyngeal airway) is too long?
NPA could enter the vallecula and become occluded with soft tissue
NPA could enter the esophagus and cause gastric distention
NPA could enter the larynx and stimulate a cough reflex
What could happen if an NPA is too long and enter the larynx?
Could stimulate a cough reflex
Could stimulate a gag reflex and cause vomiting
An NPA (nasopharyngeal airway) has been inserted into a patient but you do not observe chest rise/fall when performing manual resuscitation. What could the problem be?
The NPA is the wrong size
Too short = can separate soft palate and tongue from posterior pharynx
Too long = NPA is in esophagus
How do you properly size a NPA?
Place flared end again the lateral edge of the nostril and the other end against the tragus of the ear. If the tube does not reach the tragus or over shoots it, it is the wrong size
Or measure from the tip of the nose to the tragus of the ear
What position should a patient be in when inserting an NPA?
Sniffing position
What direction should the bevel be facing when the NPA is inserted?
Downwards towards the septum
T/F: When inserting an NPA, you should force through any resistance it encounters
False. If resistance is encountered the airway should be retracted
How is an oropharyngeal airway sized?
Flared end should be placed at the lip commissure (corner of the mouth) and the distal tip should reach the angle of the jaw
Which way should an OPA be inserted into the mouth?
With the tip up towards the roof of the mouth until it reaches the uvula at which point it is rotated 180 degrees to direct the tip down toward the pharynx
What is an absolute contraindication for OPA use?
If a patient can cough or still has a gag reflex an OPA should not be used because it may induce vomiting which could lead to aspiration making literally everyones day worse
Should an OPA be placed if a patient has a foreign body obstructing the airway.
No. remove foreign body if possible and then place OPA
If foreign body is not removable, call funeral home
What are the two most common complications that can occur with the use of OPAs?
Iatrogenic trauma
Airway hyperreactivity
Minor pinching of the lips and tongue is common
How many ventilations should patients who are being manually resuscitated receive?
10 per minute with ventilations lasting approximately one second
yeah bullshit
What can occur if an OPA is left in place for too long? (days)
Ulceration and necrosis of oropharyngeal structures from pressure and long term contact have been reported
Basically skin breakdown due to constant pressure
Approximately what tidal volume should be delivered when performing manual resuscitations?
400-500 mL
What should providers giving manual resuscitation check to ensure that the patient is receiving adequate ventilation
Watch for chest rise and fall
Periodically auscultate the lungs to ensure ventilation
Oxygen saturation if available
Capnography if available
Watch for chest rise and fall
Periodically auscultate the lungs to ensure ventilation
Oxygen saturation if available
Capnography if available
Use C-E grip
Middle, ring and little fingers under mandible and pull jaw upward into mask
Index fingers and thumb create C and press mask down into face
What are the 4 kinds of manual resuscitators
Self inflating bag/valve/mask
Flow inflating
T-piece
Automatic
A BMV has a sampling port that allows providers to do what?
Allows monitoring of PIP that the bag is delivering
If, when bagging, the pressure relief valve is popping off, what does this mean and what should you do?
it means that there is either low compliance in the lungs or there is an obstruction
You should ensure patient is correctly positioned, confirm that there is nothing in the mouth, then flip the pressure relief override and keep bagging
T/F: There is no way to measure PEEP when using a BMV
False. The exhalation valve can fit a PEEP valve so that monitoring residual pressure in the lungs is possible
Its accuracy is probably debatable though
T/F: when bagging a patient, exhaled gas returns to the bag via a two way valve
False. There are 2 separate 1 way valves built into the bag. One prevents exhalations from entering the bag and another prevents ventilations from not being delivered to the patient
T/F: a BMV can be utilized to deliver aerosolized medication
True…apparently
What FiO2 should a BMV deliver?
A BMV should deliver close to 100% FiO2 if mask has made a proper seal to the face
What are the applications of a self inflating BMV?
Adult respiratory care
Medication instillation
Aerosolized medication delivery
What factors can influence the FiO2 delivered through manual resuscitation?
Oxygen flow rate
The presence of a reservoir
You are called to the ED to assess a patient. During your assessment, the patient becomes unresponsive and requires manual resuscitation. The patient is apneic, how will breaths in this situation be “triggered”?
The breaths will be time triggered with the provider giving one breath every 6 seconds
ou are called to the ED to assess a patient. During your assessment, the patient becomes unresponsive and requires manual resuscitation. The patient is breathing, how will breaths in this situation be “triggered”?
Breaths will be triggered when the patient inhales. The provider will feel the drop in pressure as they hold the bag or watch for chest rise and deliver oxygen to the patient by squeezing the bag
What should the flow be set to when bagging a patient?
15 l/m or flush
When bagging a patient, how can a provider assess for appropriate breath delivery?
Watch for chest rise and fall
Look for condensation on the inside of the mask
Listen for leaks around the mask
Watch for gastric distention
You are bagging a patient and the bag has an end tidal CO2 monitor on it. As you look at the patients CO2 waveform, you notice that the waveform is flat. What does this mean?
A flat waveform indicates that there is no gas exchange occurring during ventilation
T/F: patient can draw spontaneous breaths through the one way valve with a good mask seal
True
T/F: Placing the mask on a patient ensures that gas is flowing to the patient
False
What factors influence FiO2 delivery when using a manual resuscitator?
Stroke volume
Refill time
Respiratory rate
How will a higher respiratory rate influence FiO2 delivery when using a manual resuscitator? A lower rate?
A higher rate will decrease FiO2
A lower rate will increase FiO2
What factors influence FiO2 delivery when using a manual resuscitator?
Stroke volume
Refill time
Respiratory rate
Whether or not the patient was a dick
How does refill time when using a manual resuscitator effect delivered FiO2?
Shorter refill time decreases FiO2
Longer refill time increases FiO2
How does stroke volume when using a manual resuscitator effect FiO2?
Larger breaths decrease FiO2
Smaller breaths increase FiO2
What are common errors practitioners make when bagging patients?
bagging to quickly (its really easy to do)
Bagging out of sync with patient breaths
What effect can bagging rapidly have on a patient?
Bagging too rapidly could potentially hyperinflate the lungs and decrease venous return to the heart
Putting to much pressure into the patient could result in gastric insufflation
What pressures can cause gastric insufflatio
Pressures greater than 25 cm of water
A patient is being bagged but cannot exhale. How would you know this is happening in a patient that isnt awake and what could be the cause?
You do not see the chest fall
The non rebreathing valve may be jammed or broken
You are bagging a patient and suddenly you notice the pressure required to deflate the bag has substantially decreased. What could cause this?
The oxygen inlet valve could have failed
What are the hazards associated with BMVs?
Hypoxia
Equipment failure
Poor technique (hey its me)
Cross contamination
Cant measure tidal volume on squish bag. Too much bad. Too little bad.
FiO2 is not guaranteed
You are bagging another patient (lucky you) and while bagging you suddenly notice a lack of resistance. What could be the cause?
A leak in the system ‘
The pressure sampling port may have popped open
The patient never existed and you suddenly remember youre schizophrenic
What are contraindications for BMV?
Awake, bitchy patient
Untreated tension pneumo
Facial trauma (whiny patient)
Total upper airway obstruction
What are the scenarios where an automatic resuscitator would be applicable?
Transporting patients
Does not require being tethered to a device
Mass casualty scenarios where there are not enough vents
What are the disadvantages of automatic resuscitators?
Consistency (same)
Sophistication in breath delivery (Same)
Lack of alarm function
What liter flow does an oxygen powered demand valve resuscitator deliver?
30 lpm
What tidal volume does an oxygen powered demand valve resuscitator deliver?
500 ml
T/F: A DVR (demand valve resuscitator) cant be triggered by the operator
False, a respiratory rate can be set or the device can be manually triggered by the operator
What are the advantages of DVR (demand valve resuscitator)?
Allow for a 2 handed mask seal
Can limit pressure delivery to reduce gastric distention
Useful in emergency medicine
What are some disadvantages of DVRs?
Occasionally reported to malfunction easily, generally limited to older versions
What are absolute contraindications for resuscitators?
Patient has a DNI
Resuscitation has been determined to be futile (ie patient has been decapitated)
Resuscitation poses an immediate danger to rescuers (decapitated body has been zombified and now craves human flesh)
What is one of the main differences between a BMV and a flow inflating resuscitator?
Flow inflating resuscitators lack a non rebreathing valve
What regulates flow with a flow inflating resuscitator?
Not the flow control valve, apparently
The gas source regulates flow
What does the flow control valve regulate in a flow inflating resuscitator?
NOT flow
The flow control valve regulates resistance
How do you provide ventilations with a flow inflating resuscitator?
Flow from source plus hand squeeze pressure
T/F: Proper flow regulation can provide CPAP or PEEP when using a flow inflating resuscitator
True
T/F: The bag is supposed to deflate completely when using a flow inflating resuscitator
False, the flow going to the bag MUST be greater than flow going to a patient or the bag will deflate and you will deprive your patient of oxygen
Who are flow inflating resuscitators most commonly used on?
Infants and neonates
T/F: The bag is supposed to deflate completely when using a flow inflating resuscitator
False, the flow going to the bag MUST be greater than flow going to a patient or the bag will deflate and you will deprive your patient of oxygen
T/F: Flow inflating resuscitators are most commonly used by proctologists
False. Flow inflating resuscitators are most commonly used by anesthesiologists
True/False. Flow inflating resuscitators are most commonly used by proctologists
False. They are mainly used by anesthesiologists but require a trained practitioner
How do you regulate CPAP when using a flow inflating resuscitator?
Control outflow resistance via the flow control valve to regulate CPAP
What coordinating tasks are need to be performed when using a flow inflating resuscitator?
Adjust flow of gas from O2 source to bag
Control outflow resistance via flow control valve
Control force of manual compression of the bag
Maintain adequate face seal
Where are flow inflating resuscitators most commonly used?
Operating room
Delivery rool
Neonatal intensive care
What is the only infant t-piece resuscitator available?
Neopuff
How does a t-piece resuscitator provide ventilation?
With constant PIP
What is the flow rate on a t-piece resuscitator?
5-15 lpm
What patient interfaces are used with a t-piece resuscitator?
Interfaces with a mask or an endotracheal tube
What are the applications for a supraglottic airway device?
Maintain airway (duh)
Administration of gasses or airway instrumentation
Permit administration of manual or mechanical ventilation
What situations call for an artificial airway?
Upper respiratory tract obstruction or infection
Neuromuscular disease
Central nervous system damage
Pulmonary failure or insufficiency
cardiac/circulatory failure or insufficiency
Ed being left unsupervised
When are supraglottic airways used?
Primarily used in emergencies where intubation cannot be accomplished
Describe the positioning of the distal cuff after a laryngeal tube has been inserted
Cuff is located at the beginning of the esophagus
When is a laryngeal tube used?
can be used as a first choice for airway management of as a backup device if endotracheal intubation was unsuccessful
What risks do supraglottic airways pose to the glottis?
They can displace it
Patients who are awake and have a supraglottic airway in place are at risk for what?
Gagging and asperating
What can be damaged as a result of supraglottic airways?
Oropharyngeal mucosal membranes
Larynx
Esophagus
Pretty much any structure in the mouth that could be damaged by jamming a giant tube in there
T/F: hypoventilation is not a potential hazard of supraglottic airways
False. Blind insertions can lead to incorrect alignments and hypoventilation
T/F: Unconscious patients with a supraglottic airway in place are not at risk of aspiration
False.