ITU (Airway maintenance, ventilation, pulse oximetry and oxygen therapy) Flashcards
In trauma patients what can cause airway obstruction?
- Coma due to loss of protective airway reflexes
- Blood or vomit may block the airway
- Direct trauma, haematoma or burns
What are the signs of severe airway obstruction?
The patient cannot speak or breathe and attempts at coughing are silent
How do you manage severe airway obstruction?
A cycle of 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts
If loss of consciousness then commence ALS protocol to retrieve the object with forceps/ suction where possible
What are the signs of a mild airway obstruction?
The patient can speak, cough and breathe
How do you manage mild airway obstruction?
Encourage the patient to cough
What is the first step to airway maintenance?
Look in the mouth and pharynx for foreign bodies, blood and vomit.
Remove any obstruction with Magill’s forceps or Yankauer sucker
Describe the two basic manoeuvres for airway maintenance and when you would use each one
- Head tilt, chin lift - standard if no risk of c-spine injury
- Jaw thrust (place fingers behind angle of the mandible and apply anterior pressure. use the thumbs to open the mouth slightly) This is first line in any trauma patient (or chin lift without head tilt)
How do you size a guedel airway?
Incisors to the angle of the mandible (most adults require size 3)
How do you insert a guedel airway and why?
Insert upside down and rotate
to avoid pushing the tongue backwards
When can you not use a nasopharyngeal airway?
If there is a risk of basal skull fracture
How do you size a nasopharyngeal airway?
Incisors to the tragus (most men are 7.0 and women are 6.0)
How do you insert a nasopharyngeal airway?
Insert lubricated by twisting along the floor of the nose
What are some advantages of using LMAs over ET tubes?
- Prevent damage to the teeth or vocal cords
- Can be used to temporarily establish an airway before an ET tube is inserted (e.g. in ALS patients)
What’s the difference between an i-gel and an LMA?
After an LMA has been inserted the cuff needs to be inflated but i-gels don’t require inflation
When will Intubation be used over LMAs/ i-gels?
- Surgical procedures where there is a risk of vomiting and aspiration or where the patient has a difficult airway
- The patient is in an ICU setting and will likely need airway protection for a prolonged period of time
- In an acute setting as a superior alternative to an LMA/ i-gel
What is usually used as a muscle relaxant in surgical patients before intubation and why?
Suxamethonium (short acting)
Muscle relaxation increases the ease of intubation
When muscle relaxation can’t be used, e.g. in cardiac arrest patients, how are patients intubated?
- Position patient with neck and head extended
- Slide the laryngoscope blade down with the right side of the tongue into the vallecular (between the tongue and epiglottis) while protecting the teeth)
- Lift the laryngoscope blades and visualise the cords, pass the lubricated ET tube through them
- Remove the laryngoscope and inflate the cuff
What patients make intubation difficult?
- Obese
- Short neck/ impaired neck flexion and extension
- Receding chin
- Protruding teeth
- TMJ disorder/ fractured mandible
What is a needle cricothyroidotomy?
Used an emergency surgical airway in children
A large IV cannula is passed into the cricothyroid membrane (between the cricoid and thyroid cartilages)
What is a surgical cricothyroidotomy?
Similar to percutaneous tracheostomy but specifically at the cricothyroid cartilage
What is a percutaneous tracheostomy (PCT) and what technique is involved?
An airway that is inserted subglotically through the neck tissues directly into the trachea.
It involves the Seldinger technique and dilation of the trachea between cartilage rings before passing the tracheostomy tube
When is PCT indicated?
- Bypassing upper airway obstruction
- Prolonged mechanical ventilation (as it is easier to wean patients from tracheostomy than it is from intubation)
- Requirement for airway protection and a need for frequent suctioning (airway toilet)
What advantages are there for PCT compared to long term intubation?
- Easier to wean patients from tracheostomy
- Patients can communicate by phonation (if a fenestrated tube is used)
- Sedation can be reduced as it is more comfortable than an ET tube
- Nursing care in terms of mouth care and mobility is easier
What are the complications of PCT?
At the time of insertion:
- Bleeding
- Hypoxaemia
- Loss of airway
- Injury to the posterior tracheal wall
- Pneumothorax
Later complications:
- Dislodgement and obstruction of the tube
- Tracheoesophageal fistula
- Stenosis of the trachea
- Swallow dysfunction
What should you do if you suspect aspiration of foreign material?
- Apply cricoid pressure and use suction to remove debris from the mouth
- Intubate with an ET tube and refrain from ventilating (if oxygen sats are adequate)
- Empty the stomach with an NG tube
What are different types of artificial ventilation?
- Mouth to mask ventilation
- Bag - valve - mask ventilation
(pre-op or in an emergency prior to establishing a secure airway +/- mechanical ventilation) - Non-invasive ventilation (ventilatory support without using an invasive artificial airway. it is delivered via a sealed face mask, nasal mask or helmet)
- Invasive mechanical ventilation
(requires intubation)
For Bag-valve-mask ventilation, by how much do you squeeze the bag and at what rate?
Squeeze 2/3 of the bag
Rate of 10-12 breaths per minute
What are the indications for NIV?
In patients that require HDU level support but are not yet candidates for intubation.
Patients must be conscious and able to maintain their airway
What is the difference between CPAP and BiPAP and when are they used?
CPAP = continuous positive airway pressure
Used in T1RF
BiPAP = bi-level positive airway pressure (the air pressure increases during inspiration)
Used in T2RF
What should you increase to reduce hypercapnia?
iPAP
What should you increase to reduce hypoxia?
ePAP
What are the indications for Invasive mechanical ventilation?
- Respiratory or cardiorespiratory arrest (or impending arrest)
- NIV is failing to reduce PaCO2 or maintain SpO2
- Surgical procedures requiring paralysis
- A sedated patient in an ITU setting that is not self-ventilating