Airway & Ventilation Flashcards
Causes of airway problems:
- Blockage in airway - FB, blood, vomitus, secretions
- Infection & oedema - direct trauma, epiglottitis
- Narrowing airway - laryngospasm, bronchospasm
- CNS depression - head injury, hypercapnia, metabolic (hypoglycaemia), drugs (alcohol, opioids, GA)
If a patient is unconscious, the commonest cause of airway obstruction is:
- Soft palate obstructing the passage of oxygen
How to check for airway problems:
1. Look
2. Listen
3. Feel
Checking for airway problems - Look - What to look for?
- Chest & abdominal movement
Checking for airway problems - Look - How does normal breathing look?
- Chest expands outwards
- Abdomen expands outwards
Checking for airway problems - Look - How does obstructed breathing look?
- Chest tries to expand
- Abdomen pulled inwards
- See Saw breathing
- Use of accessory muscles
Checking for airway problems - Listen - What to listen for?
- Listen to breathing
Checking for airway problems - Listen - What does normal breathing sound like?
- Quiet
Checking for airway problems - Listen - What does partial obstruction sound like?
- Noisy - snoring, wheezing, gurgling, stridor
Checking for airway problems - Listen - What does complete obstruction sound like?
- Silence
- No air flowing in or out
Checking for airway problems - Feel - What to feel for?
- Feel for airflow at the mouth and nose.
What to do when an airway obstruction is recognised?
- Airway manoeuvres to relieve obstruction
What are the manoeuvres for relieving airway obstruction?
1. Head tilt
2. Chin lift
3. Jaw thrust
Manoeuvres for relieving airway obstruction - How to perform Head Tilt?
- Place one hand on the pt’s forehead
- Tilt the head back gently.
Manoeuvres for relieving airway obstruction - How to perform Chin Lift?
- Place the fingertips of other hand under the point of the chin
- Gently lift upwards to stretch the ant. neck structures
- Look, listen & feel again to see if the obstruction is resolved
Manoeuvres for relieving airway obstruction - How to perform Jaw Thrust?
- Identify the angle of the mandible.
- Place your index & other fingers behind the angle of the mandible & lift upward
- Keep the mouth slightly open
- Recheck to see if there are any signs of airway obstruction