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.

Assessing for a gag reflex is a basic skill that can become important in a variety of medical settings. It is also a way to measure brain death. Medical experts, however, now caution against using the gag reflex as a primary determinant of whether to intubate or as a measure of airway health. So first responders must balance competing information and studies to make informed decisions in each individual case. Here’s what you need to know about checking for a gag reflex in an intubated patient. 

Almost all children become infected with the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) by the age of two. For neonates and immunocompromised babies, this can be a life-threatening disease. The unique airways of very young babies can compromise their ability to clear airway secretions, increasing the risk of serious complications. Deep suctioning can reduce their discomfort—and in some cases—even save their lives. Here’s what you need to know. 

A tracheostomy opens a direct airway into the neck. Its prevalence in long-term care is increasing, and some providers assert that early tracheostomy in mechanically ventilated patients may decrease complications and reduce morbidity.

Preplanning is part of the job as an emergency responder. Each shift, you must be prepared to answer any type of emergency that your community throws at you, so you had better plan ahead. When it comes to your equipment, especially your pharyngeal suction device, you want a unit that will fit the needs of the community in which you work. Here are a few considerations when choosing a portable suction unit.

Suction plays a critical role in numerous medical procedures. It’s also a key component of every tactical medical kit. Yet many first responders and other medical professionals are familiar with only one or two suction aspirators. In an emergency or when you collaborate with another agency, your familiarity with a wide range of suction equipment may be the most important factor in patient outcomes. Here are the types of suction aspirators you might encounter.

When you think of intubation, you should automatically be thinking of suction. The two treatments go hand-in-hand; you cannot safely intubate without the aid of suction, which is why you must include a portable suction unit any time there is the possibility of intubating.

There are many medical and traumatic causes for a decreased level of consciousness, any of which can lead to a respiratory emergency. A thorough patient assessment and quick diagnosis, followed by aggressive treatment, can prevent the patient's condition from deteriorating. But even optimal care cannot stave off every respiratory complication.

Pediatric emergencies are always a bit unsettling. Fortunately, children make up a minority of our patients, but when these emergencies occur, it can be stressful—for the patient, for the patient’s family, and for you, the responder.