airway management is a process used to ensure that a patient is able to breathe and perform gas
exchange it involves suctioning airway maintenance establishing an artificial airway and extubation
it goes without saying that this is a very important topic in the field of respiratory care
which is why we created this video to provide a brief overview of this topic and
break it down in a way that's easy to learn and understand so if you're ready let's get into it
so what exactly is airway management as previously mentioned airway management is
the process of maintaining ventilation so that gas exchange can occur this allows a patient to
take in oxygen while removing carbon dioxide this is important because we need to keep a patient's
upper airway free and clear of foreign substances so that air can flow into and out of the lungs
there are quite a few types or procedures that are considered to be types of airway management
including the following endotracheal suctioning sputum sampling artificial airways intubation
emergency surgical airways securing the airway confirming proper tube placement secretion
clearance tracheostomy care troubleshooting airway emergencies and extubation again these
are examples of the common procedures that are involved in the process of airway management
respiratory therapists are involved in every step of the way which is why this is such an
important topic so what is an artificial airway an artificial airway is a tube that is inserted
into the patient's trachea in order to maintain breathing and ventilation this is necessary when
a patient is unable to maintain their own airway or if they are at risk of aspirating in this case
an artificial airway is used to establish a link between the patient and the mechanical ventilator
there are three primary types of artificial airways endotracheal tubes tracheostomy tubes
and pharyngeal airways each type has different uses and advantages however in order to function
properly they must be inserted and maintained correctly which is the job of the respiratory
therapist an endotracheal tube is a small flexible tube that is inserted through the nose or mouth
into the trachea this is necessary to establish an artificial airway for a patient in need of
mechanical ventilation the endotracheal tube is secured in place with tape or a tying device
and the insertion process is known as intubation a tracheostomy tube is a small flexible tube that is
inserted through an incision in the neck into the trachea this is generally done when a patient
is unable to tolerate intubation or if they are in need of long-term ventilatory support
after a tracheostomy tube has been inserted it is the responsibility of the respiratory therapist to
maintain the tube in place and keep the incision site clean this is known as tracheostomy care
pharyngeal airways are small tubes used to prevent obstructions and they extend only into
the pharynx there are two types of pharyngeal airways nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal
a nasopharyngeal airway is a small tube that is inserted into the nasal passage of patients
who require frequent nasal tracheal suctioning an oropharyngeal airway is a small tube that is
inserted into the mouth of an unconscious patient to prevent the tongue from causing an obstruction
a key tidbit to remember about these airways is that the oropharyngeal airway can only be used
if the patient is unconscious if the patient is conscious with an intact gag reflex
an oropharyngeal airway would be contraindicated switching gears just a bit now let's talk about
intubation intubation is the process of inserting a tube into the trachea in order to establish an
airway and facilitate breathing support via mechanical ventilation this creates a link
between the patient and the ventilator so that gas exchange can occur during an intubation procedure
patients are administered anesthesia and a muscle relaxant in order to minimize discomfort and relax
the muscles of the airways a laryngoscope blade is used to open the mouth in order to visualize
the vocal cords then a flexible plastic tube is inserted through the patient's mouth or nose
through the vocal cords and into the trachea the tube can be secured by inflating a small
cuff that surrounds the tube with air in order to provide stability and help keep it in place
the process of intubation is typically the same in patients of all ages the only difference is in the
size of the equipment used during the process of insertion for example pediatric patients
will require a much smaller endotracheal tube than adult patients male patients may sometimes
require a larger tube than female patients the physical insertion of the endotracheal
tube is a procedure that requires a trained or skilled professional which is why it's most
commonly performed only by doctors and respiratory therapists next let's talk about airway suctioning
airway suctioning is the process of clearing secretions from a patient's airway this is
typically done using a suction catheter which is a thin flexible tube with a small opening at the end
the catheter is inserted through the nose or mouth and down into the airway it uses negative pressure
from a vacuum source to suction and remove mucus and secretions suctioning is an important part of
respiratory care as it helps to keep the airway clear and free of obstructions so that breathing
can occur it is performed on a regular basis mostly by respiratory therapists but nurses are
involved with suctioning as well and that leads to one of the final steps which is extubation in
general intubation and mechanical ventilation are only temporary for most patients therefore
at some point the artificial airway must be removed which is the process known as extubation
the decision to ex-debate outpatient is based on many factors including their ability to
protect their airway adequate respiratory function ability to manage secretions adequate oxygenation
stable hemodynamic status and their ability to cooperate with the medical team
the respiratory therapist or physician will generally perform the excavation procedure
this involves oxygenating the patient deflating the cuff
removing the tube suctioning secretions and assessing and closely monitoring the patient
this video along with other resources on our channel and website to make the learning process
much easier but again for this video we just wanted to provide you with a brief overview of
airway management we'll be diving deeper into each of the subtopics that were mentioned in separate
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you develop a better understanding of this topic if so be sure to let us know down in the comment
section below and if you want to learn even more about this topic we do have a full guide on our
website i will drop a link to it right below this video down in the description thank you
so much for watching all the way to the end have a blessed day and as always breathe easy my friend
peace
you