Experience summary

This experience is a tutorial by an airway expert and talks through a demonstration of the key steps in managing a patient’s airway. The experience is presented in an ICU environment but with airway dummies and real-world equipment, supported by some slides.The team explain their actions and work their way through airway assessment, covering the anatomical, physiological and monitoring basics. Together, we will walk through basic airway assessment, airway opening manoeuvres, airway adjuncts and more definitive airway management in the form of tracheal intubation. This tutorial will work well as an introduction to some of the other experiences in this section.

Clinical context

Airway management is the cornerstone of assessment and management of any unwell patient, and the first element of the ABCDE assessment process. Many problems are solved by structured assessment and simple management, but more advanced interventions are sometimes required. The clinical priority is to open the airway, maintain patency, deliver ventilation breaths if necessary and above all, ensure adequate oxygenation.

Learning outcomes

• Recognise and manage airway obstruction
• Perform basic airway manoeuvres
• Use simple adjuncts to maintain airway patency
• Provide basic ventilation support
• Understand the principles of advanced airway management