posable fiber-
optic broncho-
scopes. The
ideal airway
device is simple
to set up and
use, effective
and reliable.
But without the
skills and com-
petence you
can only
acquire through
training and
practice, the ideal airway device is pretty much useless. It is every
anesthesia provider's personal and professional responsibility to
acquire and maintain the necessary skills to use airway devices. Awake
intubation is the cornerstone of the difficult airway algorithm. All anes-
thetists should be skilled in at least one alternative technique of tra-
cheal intubation under vision.
Even with all of today's modern devices, you can't neglect such skills as
cricothyrotomy. Yes, you might go your entire career without needing to
perform an emergency airway puncture, but if the time ever comes, you'll
be glad you went to that difficult airway hands-on workshop and worked
on that pig trachea.
Practice makes …
In airway management as in life, proper planning prevents poor per-
formance. You can't predict challenging intubations, but you can cer-
tainly prepare for them. The confidence and requisite skills required
for successful management of the difficult airway come with continu-
al practice. And you can't keep the difficult airway cart locked up
4 4
O U T P A T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E O N L I N E | A P R I L 2 0 1 5
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN
z SECURE THE AIRWAY
You can't always differen-
tiate the difficult from
the routine airway.
