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A I R W A Y
1
M A N A G E M E N T
Choose natural
when possible
Anesthesia providers must
focus on the safest and most
effective airway method well
before cases begin. The proper
method relies heavily on 3 closely inter-related factors: the type
of surgery, the choice of anesthesia, and the medical history
and physical condition of the
patient. Providers must ultimate-
BREATHE EASY Think of ways to avoid artificial airways by
maximizing the use of natural airways, says Dr. Ritchie.
It's simple advice: Think of ways to
ly decide if they'll entrust a natural air-
avoid artificial airways whenever you
way or artificial airway to do the job.
can use natural airways. Patients
A natural airway is a patient's own
nose and mouth. Patients may be fit-
who can maintain their own airways
ted with a nasal cannula to provide
and are breathing spontaneously and
oxygen, but they're otherwise breath-
comfortably immediately out of sur-
ing spontaneously without external
gery are on the road to recovery as
assistance. Artificial airway tech-
soon as they reach the PACU.
niques comprise anything that's
2
placed in the nose, mouth or trachea
to support oxygen delivery and ventilation. The most common choices for
routine surgery are the nasal trump,
Lighten up
on anesthesia
A natural airway is more feasi-
ble if the choice of anesthesia doesn't
oral airway, laryngeal mask airway
impair patients' respiratory functions.
and endotracheal tube. Each device
Utilize local or regional anesthesia,
has its own optimal situations for
including spinals, epidurals and
use, and advantages and disadvan-
peripheral nerve blocks, when a pro-
tages.
cedure permits.
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O U T PAT I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E | J U LY 2013
