NAP4 2011: Airway Complications

(Also see ANZCA PS61 CICO)

Biggest disasters: aspiration and CICO

Look out for:

· Obesity (account for 2/3 of disasters)

· Head and neck surgery

· Post-extubation stridor in PACU

· Failed intubation in A&E

· Displaced trachie in ICU

· Fail to do an airway assessment

· Fail to consider risk of aspiration

· Fail to get the equipment you need

· Fail to get the people you need (i.e. senior help)

· Fail to make a stepwise plan = she’ll be right

· Do heaps of attempts at intubation

· Use LMA when you shouldn’t (e.g. obese, aspiration risk)

· Use first generation LMA inappropriately

· Fail to use capno to confirm intubation

· Fail to use capno to monitor in ICU and ED (especially bad)

· Fail to perform AFOI when you should