Foreseeable disasters can come in all shapes and sizes, from a power failure that affects only your facility to an earthquake that sends hundreds of casualties to your emergency department.

A growing group of people are passionate about airway management and minimizing the risks of aspiration and its subsequent effects. Dr. James DuCanto identified an improved technique called suction-assisted laryngoscopy and airway decontamination (SALAD).

Training is an essential part of your job. With the demands of your work schedule, spending time with your family, and your daily obligations, you may find yourself struggling to find the motivation to put in extra time for training. But even the most skilled practitioners need to train—and train often—to best serve their patients when airway emergencies occur.

Tracheostomies are increasingly common, particularly in long-term skilled nursing facilities and intensive care units, which means all medical providers must master tracheostomy secretion management. Tracheostomy reduces cough strength, lowers subglottic pressure, and weakens sensations in the pharynx and larynx.

It’s a dramatic plot twist in movies, medical dramas, and even the occasional sitcom (think MacGyver): A character is choking or in respiratory distress and standard interventions like the Heimlich maneuver just aren’t cutting it. So a heroic bystander takes things into their own hands and jams a pen into the victim’s throat, much to everyone’s horror. But then, to everyone’s shock and relief, doing so clears the airway, allowing the survivor to breathe until help arrives. But can you really do this?

Hypercapnia, also known as hypercarbia or carbon dioxide toxicity, causes dangerous levels of CO2 in the blood. In most cases, it signals a respiratory problem such as poor lung function, but it can also happen among deep divers, particularly when they do not breathe adequately, or have contaminated oxygen supplies. 

While the mortality rate of aspiration pneumonia depends on complications of the disease, the 30-day mortality rate hovers around 21%, with a higher rate of 29.7% in hospital-associated aspiration pneumonia. For uncomplicated pneumonia, the mortality rate is still high – around 5%.

Airway management is a key pillar of emergency medicine. When performed correctly, it can save lives, improve surgical outcomes, and improve the quality of life for terminally ill patients. However, airway management presents complications and risks. Knowing the contraindications for airway management can help you better serve patients and reduce the risk of needless morbidity. 

The holiday season in the U.S. is upon us, and food, family, gifts, and much more bring us joy. Unfortunately, some unique challenges for emergency responders accompany these special days.