2. Case
50/M with bad CAP
SpO2 70% on 4 L NP
RR 40, HR 120, BP 100/70, Temperature 39o C
Agitated, not accepting mask
How are you going to intubate this guy?
3. Why is intubation
required? 8 P’s
Airway protection
Maintain airway patency
To provide higher PEEP
High FiO2 requirements (Purified O2)
Pulmonary toileting
Reduce WOB (Power-up breathing)
Anticipated need for unusual
positioning (e.g., prone ventilation)
Facilitate procedures/investigations
5. Goals of airway management
Achieving ‘First-pass’ success
Keeping the patient safe
◦ Preventing Hypoxaemia
◦ Preventing Hypotension
6. Introduction
Why is airway management very different in ICU as
compared to the OT?
◦ Suboptimal conditions
◦ Limited physiologic reserve
◦ Practitioners with variable levels of experience
◦ Time
7. Situations
where the
airway may be
difficult?
Head and neck trauma
Known airway &/or C spine pathology
Morbid obesity or pregnancy
Burns affecting airway
Do you know of any scoring systems?
9. Definitions
Impossible Mask Ventilation:
Absence of ETCO2, no chest
wall movement during positive
pressure ventilation despite
airway adjuvants and additional
personnel
Difficult Intubation: Multiple
attempts required, in the
presence or absence of tracheal
pathology
Difficult Laryngoscopy: Not
possible to visualize any portion
of the vocal cords after multiple
attempts at conventional
laryngoscopy ( Cormack-Lehane
grade 3 or 4 view)
10. Where can things go wrong?
At all stages!
Airway assessment
Patient selection and preparation
Human and team factors
Selection of technique and equipment
Haemodynamic management
Post-intubation management
Hence the term ‘Airway Management’ as opposed to
‘Intubation’!
12. Pitfalls
Failure to plan
Positioning and preparation
Pre-oxygenation
Haemodynamic management
Equipment
Surgical airway
Post-intubation management
13. How do we approach the critical
airway?
Preparation, more
preparation,
communication, planning
for all eventualities
Strategies to avoid
intubation in the first
place ?!
21. Equipment considerations
Laryngoscopes of various sizes and types
◦ Video laryngoscopes increasingly used
Stylets and bougies
Airway exchange catheters
ETTs of 1 size larger and smaller than anticipated
Rescue equipment
◦ SGA
◦ FOB
◦ Cricothyroidotomy set
25. RSI
Rapid push of IV agents (Anaesthetic and paralytic)
simultaneously to facilitate rapid securing of the
airway
Increases potential for surprises – difficulty with
intubation
Preparation is key
Do you ventilate the patient?
28. Delayed Sequence induction
Procedural sedation, the procedure being…preoxygenation
Position, preoxygenate
Ketamine 1-2 mg/kg IV slow, use more if required
Nasal cannulae O2 @ 15 Lpm
Preoxygenate with BVM + PEEP Valve or NRB, at least 3 min
Administer NMB
Intubate
29. Graded Sedation Intubation (GSI)
Both GSI and DSI aim to prioritize oxygenation and patient safety over rapid intubation
GSI doesn’t involve paralysis whereas DSI does
Induction/anaesthetic agents used may differ
33. Patient positioning
Keep patient as upright as possible until
intubation
Continue NIV
Best position to intubate:
◦ Classic ‘ Sniffing’ position
◦ Ear (EAM) in same plane as sternal notch (Ramp
position)
36. Preoxygenation Vs. Denitrogenation
Denitrogenation – replacement of nitrogen (in lungs) with oxygen
Oxygenation- providing best possible conditions to withstand intubation process
◦ NIV- do not discontinue
◦ Supplemental Oxygenation- NPs/HFNPs
◦ Which one technique is superior (NIV Vs. O2 insufflation)?
37. Pre-oxygenation
3 minutes, or 8 VC breaths with tight-fitting mask at
100% O2
Difficult to achieve
What sats do you aim for pre-intubation?
39. What are we trying to do?
Prolong the ‘Safe Apnoea’ time
How does O2 insufflation help during apnoea?
40. Other methods – the triple 15 rule
Nasal prongs with 15 Lpm flow
NRB mask with 15 Lpm flow
And, if SpO2 still less than 95%,
NIV or BVM with PEEP of 15 cm H2O
https://www.jems.com/articles/print/volume-43/issue-4/features/a-modern-approach-to-basic-airway-management.html?c=1
44. Unable to intubate- what next???
Plans B,C and D
Various algorithms
Call out ‘Difficult Intubation’
Attempt Oxygenation
◦ BMV
◦ SGA
Do not make more than 3 attempts-why?
48. Unable to intubate or oxygenate- what
next???
Call out ‘Can’t Intubate Can’t Oxygenate’ (CICO)
Prepare for Surgical airway
Thinking about it beforehand is the first step
◦ https://youtu.be/RrIzIxoshMg
52. Post-intubation
Do not walk away!!!!
Confirm ETT placement
Manage haemodynamics
Plan for ventilation, sedation, analgesia etc.
Potential issues post-intubation?
57. References (in no particular order)
1. Umobong and Mayo. Crit Care Clin 34 (2018) 313–324
2. De Jong et al. Critical Care 2014, 18:209 (http://ccforum.com/content/18/2/209)
3. Griesdale et al. Lung 2011, DOI 10.1007/s00408-011-9278-3
4. Higgs et al. British Journal of Anaesthesia, 120 (2): 323-352 (2018)
5. Difficult airway society guidelines. https://das.uk.com/guidelines/icu_guidelines2017
6. Vortexapproach.org
7. https://lifeinthefastlane.com/ccc/airway-assessment/
8. Myatra SN et al. Indian J Anaesth 2016;60:885-98