Airway obstruction

Question 1

What are the CNS causes of airway obstruction?

Answer 1

Head injury
cerebral disease
hypercapnia
depressant effect of metabolic disorder (inc. DM)
drugs (loss of reflexes and airway tone)

Question 2

What are the Laryngeal causes of airway obstruction?

Answer 2

Laryngospasm
blockage (Blood/vomitus/foreign body)
trauma
epiglottitis
blocked tracheostomy

Question 3

What are the Pharyngeal causes of airway obstruction?

Answer 3

pharyngeal swelling (infection, oedema)

Question 4

What is the fourth category of airway obstruction, not CNS, pharynx, larynx?

Answer 4

Bronchial secretions - below the larynx, the airway fills with secretions from below and becomes blocked off

Question 5

What are the simple manouevres for airway obstruction?

Answer 5

Head tilt, chin lift and jaw thrust
Turn patient on side
Give oxygen high flow
Suction

Question 6

What are the more advanced interventions for airway obstruction? What do you start with after simple manouevres fail?

Answer 6

Insert airway - simple airway adjunct then escalate OP, NP, tracheal or tracheostomy

Question 7

What are the signs of airway obstruction?

Answer 7

Silent = complete obstruction
See-saw breathing
Accessory muscle use