An Update on Airway Management in the Emergency Department

Physicians of emergency department should be trained in airway management and be familiar with the algorithms and devices at their hospitals. Whenever possible, a rapid evaluation should be carried out in order to attempt to manage a possible difficult airway. Limiting the number of attempts (maximum of three attempts) to achieve a timely nontraumatic endotracheal intubation is the main goal in airway management. Therefore, it is important to make the first attempt in the best conditions and with a device with the highest likelihood of success in order to prevent airway trauma and progression to a “cannot intubate, cannot oxygenate” situation.

Keywords: Cricoid pressure, Capnography, Difficult Airway, Emergency Department, Failed intubation, FONA, Hypoxia, Oesophageal intubation, RSI, Surgical airway, Videolaryngoscope.