A pre-hospital physician is managing a difficult airway in a patient with severe angioedema of the tongue and oropharynx. Oral intubation is impossibl...

Question

A pre-hospital physician is managing a difficult airway in a patient with severe angioedema of the tongue and oropharynx. Oral intubation is impossible and ventilation via bag-valve-mask is inadequate. What technique should be used for surgical cricothyroidotomy?

Accepted Answer

Scalpel-bougie-tube technique: horizontal stab incision through the cricothyroid membrane, insert bougie, railroad a size 6.0 cuffed endotracheal tube over the bougie

Answer

Vertical skin incision, blunt dissection to the cricothyroid membrane, then direct tube insertion

Answer

Use a purpose-built surgical airway kit with a Seldinger technique

Answer

Needle cricothyroidotomy with a 14G cannula and jet insufflation as the definitive approach

Answer

Large-bore cannula through the cricothyroid membrane with spontaneous ventilation

uk-dipimc MCQ (SBA): Surgical Cricothyroidotomy Technique

A pre-hospital physician is managing a difficult airway in a patient with severe angioedema of the tongue and oropharynx. Oral intubation is impossible and ventilation via bag-valve-mask is inadequate. What technique should be used for surgical cricothyroidotomy?