Suctioning a patient’s airway is not a “one size fits all” procedure. Whether to clear secretions that the patient cannot mobilize, remove vomitus or foreign materials from the pharynx or trachea, or maintain the patency of an artificial airway, some suction strategies will work better than others for a particular situation.

Respiratory emergencies among the elderly are common. As an emergency responder, especially if you work in warmer climes – such as Florida and Arizona – where many people go to retire, you will frequently be called upon to administer life-saving treatments for those in respiratory distress.

Both basic and advanced airway management can save lives. Neither is more important than the other, and neither is a “better” option. When basic airway management is the safest and most effective option, immediately escalating to advanced airway management can be immensely harmful.

It’s astonishing how fast a 12-hour shift in the hospital can go. You find yourself in constant motion, carefully assessing each patient and making sure to complete all of your necessary duties before the next nurse comes on to relieve you.

Ask any emergency responder and they'll tell you the critical role portable suction plays in maintaining airway patency. No other tool can remove blood, vomit, or sputum from the airway, or allow you to visualize the cords before intubation.

In the popular Showtime series “The Affair,” a lead character is haunted by the dry drowning death of her young son. Interest in so-called dry drowning has accelerated in recent years, thanks in part to a handful of high-profile cases and fictionalized accounts. While the phenomenon of dry drowning is real, the term is a colloquialism--not a medical diagnosis.

Intubation forms a cornerstone of advanced airway management, providing patients with oxygen in both emergencies and the surgical suite, as well as offering long-term breathing support for critically ill patients.

Patients will need both immediate and longer-term support following intubation, regardless of the reason for the procedure. Monitoring patients during intubation and providing appropriate follow-up care and support can improve outcomes as well as quality of life.

With the number of mass shootings across America increasing each year, there is a growing focus on integrated response, placing paramedics and EMTs side-by-side with law enforcement when called to scenes of violence. As tactical medical response evolves to meet these growing needs, so does our medical equipment. But the restrictions that go along with tactical scenarios—namely, take only what you can carry—mean that each piece of equipment must be fundamental to the mission. There is no room for excess. Let's explore five things to include in your tactical trauma kit.

Fear of visiting the dentist and undergoing oral surgery can make patients reluctant to seek dental care and increase their discomfort when they do. Many Americans suffer from some form of dental anxiety. Oral surgery to treat cavities, infections, broken teeth, and jaw and gingival health issues are among the most common medical procedures.

There’s no question that tracheal suctioning saves lives. It can maintain a patent airway in patients with infections who cannot clear their airway, and it’s a first line of defense against aspiration pneumonia and can prevent hypoxia in patients experiencing anaphylaxis and airway obstructions. Knowing the most common morbidities associated with tracheal suctioning is key to preventing bad outcomes.