Unit 1 - Airway Management Flashcards
exam that helps quantify the size of the tongue relative to the volume in the mouth
Mallampati
Mallampati 1
Pillars, Uvula, Soft palate Hard palate
(PUSH)
Mallampati 2
Uvula, Soft palate, Hard palate
(USH)
Mallampati 3
Soft palate, Hard palate (base of uvula my be seen)
(SH)
mallampati 4
Hard palate
importance of interincisor gap
affects ability to align oral, pharyngeal, and larygeal axes
normal interincisor gap
2-3 fingerbreadths (4 cm)
what does a smaller interincisor gap indicate
a more acute angle between oral and glottic openings, increasing difficulty of intubation
what does the mandibular protrusion test assess
function of TMJ
borders of the submandibular space
superior = mentum
inferior = hyoid bone
lateral = either side of neck
use of thyromental distance
helps estimate size of submandibular space, which gives an idea of how much space you have to displace the tongue during DL
thyromental distance that may indicate difficult DL
TMD < 6 cm (3 fingerbreadths) or > 9 cm
how does a thyromental distance > 9 cm affect DL
the larynx and tongue move more caudally - this shifts the glottic opening beyond the line of sight
how to test TMJ joint in airway assessment
patient asked to sublux jaw and position of lower incisors compared to position of upper incisors
(mandibular protrusion test)
MPT class 1
patient can move lower incisors past upper and bite the vermillion of lip
MPT class 2
patient can move lower incisors in line with upper incisors
MTP class 3
patient can’t move lower incisors past upper incisors
increased risk of difficult intubation
importance of atlanto occipital joint mobility in airway assessment
ability to place pt in sniffing position depends on AO joint mobility
what is the 3-3-2 rule
combines several airway tests to give accurate prediction of airway difficulty
- interincisor gap < 3 fingerbreadths
- thyromental distance < 3 fingerbreadths
- thyrohyoid < 2 fingerbreadths
what is the Cormack and lehane score
helps quantify view obtained during DL
structures seen with grade 1 Cormach and Lehane score
complete or nearly complete view of glottic opening
structures seen with grade 2 Cormach and Lehane score
posterior region of glottic opening
structures seen with grade 3 Cormach and Lehane score
epiglottis only - can’t see any part of the glottic opening
structures seen with grade 4 Cormach and Lehane score
soft palate only
Cormack and Lehane score 2A & 2B
A: can see posterior region of glottig opening
B: you can only see corniculate cartilages and posterior vocal cords (no part of glottig opening)
Cormack & Lehane score that requires alternative approach to intubation
4
independent risk factors for difficult mask ventilation
BONES
- Beard
- Obese (BMI > 26)
- No teeth
- Elderly (>55)
- Snoring
risk factors for difficult DL & intubation
- small mouth opening
- long incisors
- prominent overbite
- high, arched palate
- MP 3 or 4
- retrognathic jaw
- inability to sublux jaw
- short, thick neck
- short thyromental distance
- reduced cervical mobility
risk factors for difficult SGA placement
- limited mouth opening
- upper airway obstruction
- altered pharyngeal anatomy
- poor lung compliance (requires inc. PIP)
- increased airway resistance
- lower airway obstruction
risk factors for difficult invasive airway placement
- abnormal neck anatomy (tumor, abscess, hx radiation, etc)
- obesity
- short neck
- laryngeal trauma
- limited access to cricothyroid membrane (halo, neck flexion deformity)
current NPO guidelines
clear liquids = 2 hours
breast milk = 4 hours
milk, formula, solid food = 6 hours
fried/fatty foods = 8 hours
what is Mendelson syndrome
chemical pneumonitis / aspiration pneumonia
how does ingestion of clear liquids decrease risk of Mendelson syndrome
reduces gastric volume and increases gastric pH
mnemonic to remember difficult DL and intubation predictors
LEMON
- Look externally (shape of face, morbid obesity, pathology of head and neck)
- Evaluate 3-3-2 rule
- Mallampati score
- Obstructions (upper and lower airway)
- Neck mobility
mnemonic to remember predictors of difficult SGA placement
RODS
- Restricted mouth opening
- Distorted airway
- Stiff lungs or cspine
mnemonic to remember difficult surgical airway placement predictors
SHORT
- surgery (neck surgery or previous scar)
- hematoma
- obesity
- radiation or other deformities
- tumors
cricoid pressure applied for RSI
before LOC = 20 newtons or ~2 kg
after LOC = 40 newtons or ~4 kg
6 complications r/t cricoid pressure
- airway obstruction
- difficult DL
- impaired glottic opening
- difficult intubation
- lowered esophageal sphincter pressure
- esophageal rupture
3 congenital conditions assoc. with c spine abnormalities
- Goldenhar
- Klippel Fiel
- Trisomy 21
3 causes of angioedema
- anaphylaxis
- ACE inhibitors
- hereditary
how can ACE inhibitors cause angioedema
they prevent bradykinin breakdown (genetics likely determine who is at risk)
treatments for angioedema from ACE inhibitors
- icatbiant (bradykinin receptor antagonist)
- ecallantide (plasma kallidrein inhibitor)
- FFP
- C1 esterase concentrate
why is FFP given for angioedema from ACE inhibitors
contains enzymes that metabolize bradykinin
why is ecallantide used for treatment of angioedema from ACE inhibitors
stops conversion of kininongen to bradykinin
what causes hereditary angioedema & how is it treated
- C1 esterase deficiency
- treat with C1 esterase concentrate, FFP, ecallantide, icatibant
management of patients with C1 esterase deficiency requiring upper airway surgery
prophylactic danazol or C1 esterase concentrate
what is Ludwig’s angina
a bacterial infection characterized by rapidly progressing cellulitis of the floor of the mouth
most significant concern with Ludwig’s angina
posterior displacement of tongue resulting in complete supraglottic airway obstruction
when is retrograde intubation contraindicated
infection above the level of the trachea
cant intubate cant ventilate
best way to secure airway in a patient with Ludwig’s angina
- awake nasal intubation
- awake trach
congenital conditions assoc. with large tongue
“Big Tongue”
- Beckwith syndrome
- Trisomy 21
congenital conditions assoc. with small/underdeveloped mandible
“Please Get That Chin”
- Pierre Robin
- Goldenhar
- Treacher Collins
- Cri du chat
congenital conditions assoc. with cervical spine anomaly
“Kids Try Gold”
- Klippel-Fiel
- Trisomy 21
- Goldenhar
airway considerations in a pt with Pierre Robin
- small/underdeveloped mandible
- tongue that falls back and down
- cleft palate
airway considerations in a patient with Treacher collins
- small mouth
- small mandible
- choanal atresia (nasal airway blocked by tissue)
airway considerations in Trisomy 21 patients
- small mouth
- large tongue
- AO joint instability
- subglottic stenosis
airway consideration with Klippel-Fiel pts
congenital cervical vertebrae fusion
airway considerations with Goldenhar syndrome
- small/underdeveloped mandible
- c spine abnormality
airway considerations with Cri du Chat
- small mandible
- laryngomalacia
- stridor
optimal position for tracheal intubation
sniffing position - cervical flexion and AO joint extension
optimal positioning of obese pt for DL
HELP - head elevated laryngoscopy position
sternum and external auditory meatus are in same horizontal plane
positioning that may unload diaphragm and prolong time between apnea and desaturation in obese pts
reverse Trendelenburg
presentation of nerve damage assoc. with aggressive jaw thrust
affected side of face may sag, pt may drool, chewing affected
facial n. injury
presentation of nerve injury with face mask strap that’s too tight
difficulty opening and closing lips r/t impaired orbicularis oculi muscle function (buccal branch of facial n. damaged)
nerve that can be damaged from ETT connector resting on pt’s face
s/s injury
supraorbital nerve - eye pain, forehead numbness, photophobia
what axes are aligned when head is lying flat on the bed and extended
- pharyngeal
- laryngeal
types of oral airways designed to accomodate a fiberoptic bronchoscope and ETT
Williams and ovassapian
how to size an oral airway
measure from corner of mouth to earlobe or angle of mandible
consequences of using an oral airway that’s too short or too long
- too short = obstruction from tongue against the roof of mouth
- too long = obstruction from displacing epiglottis towards glottis
how to measure for a nasopharyngeal airway
from nare to earlobe or angle of mandible
how to insert nasal airway
gently retract tip of noce and introduce in line with nasal passage (perpendicular to face) - push cephalad
consequences of a nasal airway that’s too short or too long
- too short = fails to relieve obstruction
- too long = obstruction via epiglottis displacement towards glottis
complications of oral and nasal airway placement
- laryngospasm if placed in lightly anesthetized pt
- vomiting (if gag reflex intact)
- dental injury
- oropharyngeal trauma
- ischemia
contraindications to nasal airway
- cribiform plate injury
- coagulopathy
- previous transphenoidal hypophysectomy
- previous Caldwell-Luc procedure
- nasal fracture
cribiform plate injures that make nasal instrumentation contraindicated
- Lefort 2 or 3 fracture
- basilar skull fracture
- CSF rhinorrhea
- raccoon eyes
- periorbital edema
what is the cribiform plate
bony structure that separates the nasal cavity from anterior cranial fossa
maximum ETT cuff pressure
25 cm H2O
what causes tracheal ischemia
ETT cuff pressure exceeds tracheal mucosal perfusion pressure
which ETTs use low-volume, high-pressure cuffs
- red rubber tube
- silicon tube for LMA-Fastrach
- bronchial balloon on DLT
cuff compliance in low-volume high-pressure cuff vs. high-volume low-pressure cuff
low volume = low compliance (takes a smaller volume to increase pressure in cuff)
high volume = high compliance (takes larger volume to increase pressure in cuff)
benefits of a high-volume, low-pressure cuff
cuff pressure closely resembles the pressure exerted on the trachea - this is why it can be measured with a manometer
benefits of low-volume, high-pressure cuffs
- better protection against aspiration
- lower incidence of sore throat
- easier visualization during intubation
risks of low-volume, high-pressure cuff
prolonged intubation = tracheal ischemia