--- title: Assessing Airway Damage Following Common Trauma Scenarios description: There are many unexpected symptoms that can stem from common traumas and accidents, and individuals often suffer airway damage from traumatic events. image: https://blog.sscor.com/hubfs/67342653_l_normal_none%20-%20Copy.png --- [![dark-header.jpg](https://blog.sscor.com/hs-fs/hub/212347/file-1107077240.jpg?width=940&name=file-1107077240.jpg "dark-header.jpg")](https://www.sscor.com/) ## **Thank you for visiting the SSCOR Blog.** Whether you're in a Hospital or EMS setting, this is the place for you. We'll share information on current industry news, tips, as well as the latest and greatest in SSCOR products. Our hope is that this blog is not only informative but a collaborative and open forum for you to share your thoughts on developing opportunities and challenges within your profession. Subscribe. Share your thoughts. Enjoy. -SSCOR Team   # [Assessing Airway Damage Following Common Trauma Scenarios](https://blog.sscor.com/assessing-airway-damage-following-common-trauma-scenarios) Posted by [Sam D. Say](https://blog.sscor.com/author/sam-d-say) Apr 30, 2026 8:00:04 AM 4 min read - [![LinkedIn Social Icon](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/142915/file-2628248555-png/images/icons/linkedin-small.png) ](https://blog.sscor.com/assessing-airway-damage-following-common-trauma-scenarios#) 0 - [![Facebook Social Icon](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hub/142915/file-2623658044-png/images/icons/fb-small.png) ](https://blog.sscor.com/assessing-airway-damage-following-common-trauma-scenarios#) 0 ![67342653_l_normal_none - Copy](https://blog.sscor.com/hs-fs/hubfs/67342653_l_normal_none%20-%20Copy.png?width=800&height=400&name=67342653_l_normal_none%20-%20Copy.png) Many unexpected symptoms can stem from common traumas and accidents, and individuals often suffer significant airway damage from traumatic events. Around the world, injuries such as car accidents, gunshot wounds, and concussions account for more than [3 million non-fatal injuries](https://www.aast.org/resources/trauma-facts) annually. These common trauma scenarios can happen to anyone.  ## **Causes and Types of Physical Trauma** Physical trauma refers to [any serious injury](https://www.education.pa.gov/Schools/safeschools/MentalHealth/Trauma/PhysTrauma/Pages/default.aspx#:~:text=Physical%20trauma%20is%20a%20serious,usually%20creating%20an%20open%20wound.) to the body. The two types are blunt force trauma, which occurs when an object or force strikes the body, often resulting in concussions, deep cuts, or broken bones, and penetrating trauma, which happens when an object pierces the skin or body, usually creating an open wound. Traumatic injuries are more serious than everyday cuts, bruises, or scrapes. They often require admission to the hospital for assessment, treatment, and rehabilitation, and sometimes warrant operations within the first few days of injury. Patients with severe injuries sometimes require intensive care, specialist treatments, or transfers to additional hospitals. ## **How Trauma Damages the Airway** Airway function can be rapidly compromised by physical trauma, and once compromised, the severity of the damage can escalate rapidly when a patient suffers trauma to their neck, such as [blunt laryngeal trauma](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S221155871630005X). They may quickly require emergency intubation or a surgical airway to help them breathe and manage symptoms of stridor or wheezing. The severity of damage from laryngeal trauma can range from minor vocal cord weakness to fractures of the cartilage structures of the larynx and trachea. When [laryngeal or tracheal fractures](https://www.chop.edu/conditions-diseases/laryngeal-trauma#:~:text=The%20damage%20can%20range%20from,not%20diagnosed%20and%20treated%20quickly.) occur from trauma, they can lead to the escape of air into the neck and chest, resulting in significant respiratory compromise and sometimes fatal consequences if not addressed carefully and efficiently. After suffering blunt trauma, severely injured patients can develop airway obstruction or poor ventilation, leading to hypoxia or death within minutes. [![New: Ultimate Guide To Purchasing A Portable Emergency Suction Device](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/212347/55c49bab-8acd-48d9-a274-d480a9b3e678.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/212347/55c49bab-8acd-48d9-a274-d480a9b3e678) ## **The LEMON Assessment Method** When conducting airway assessments of [patients in a difficult situation](https://blog.sscor.com/best-practices-for-maintaining-a-patient-airway-in-a-tough-situation) who have suffered physical trauma, providers must perform pre-intubation checks to determine the difficulty of intubation and the status of the patient’s basic neurologic functions. The [**LEMON assessment tool**](https://www.osmosis.org/answers/lemon-difficult-airway-assessment-acronym) mnemonic is helpful for providers to reference when conducting airway assessments. LEMON stands for: **L:** Look for visual signals that the airway may prove difficult, such as a broken jaw or loose dental structures. Difficulties also may occur if the patient is obese, has a high arched palate, a short neck, or trauma to the face and neck. **E: **Evaluate the airway with the 3-3-2 guideline. The mouth should be three fingers wide from top to bottom when open; so too should the space from the hyoid bone to the chin. The area between the thyroid notch and the hyoid bone should be a minimum of two fingers wide. **M: **[Mallampati score](https://www.clinicaladvisor.com/home/the-waiting-room/understanding-the-mallampati-score/) the airway. A high score increases the likelihood of a difficult airway. If the posterior pharynx can be fully exposed, the airway is a 1. A class 2 denotes a partially exposed pharynx. Class 3 means that the posterior pharynx cannot be exposed, but the base of the uvula is visible. Class 4 airways are the most challenging, with no visible posterior structures. **O: **Look for airway obstruction, or possible sources of obstruction such as broken teeth. **N:** Neck mobility. A patient who is unable to fully move their neck faces a higher risk of injury. The symptoms of physical trauma vary from patient to patient, and so does the impact of trauma on patients’ airway health and functions. To remain prepared for a diverse range of trauma and airway management scenarios, providers must continue to familiarize themselves with different types of trauma and their damage to the airway, and the importance of [a portable suction device.](https://www.sscor.com/ems_suction_products?hsCtaTracking=4ac841f5-daa4-48fd-b7c7-d464e09ace5e%7Cdcd8e09a-d83c-4de4-826a-f3dc12a0a17e) Read [this blog](https://blog.sscor.com/tracheal-trauma-airway-management) to learn more about trauma and airway management. *Editor's note: This blog was originally from October 2023. It has been re-published with additional up-to-date content.*    [![SSCOR VX-2 Portable and Onboard Suction](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/212347/df6fa532-352a-40c3-999b-2d3767bb2e14.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/212347/df6fa532-352a-40c3-999b-2d3767bb2e14) Topics: [Airway management](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/airway-management), [Emergency Preparedness](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/emergency-preparedness), [medical scenarios](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/medical-scenarios), [Trauma](https://blog.sscor.com/topic/trauma) ![Author Photo](https://blog.sscor.com/hs-fs/hubfs/SDS2-648378-edited.jpg?width=70&name=SDS2-648378-edited.jpg) ## AboutSam D. Say Sam D. Say is owner and CEO of SSCOR, Inc., a medical device manufacturer specializing in emergency battery operated portable suction devices for the hospital and pre-hospital settings. Mr. Say has been involved in developing product for healthcare providers for over 35 years. His passions include contributing to the management of the patient airway and providing solutions that save lives in difficult conditions. 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