Emergency Department Management of Surgical Airway Complications

Points and Pearls Excerpt

• Patients may present to the ED with breathing difficulties from device/mechanical malfunction; allergic, medication-related, or infectious etiologies; or bleeding or surgical complications.
• Data suggest that although there is a gap in experience and confidence among emergency clinicians when encountering patients with tracheostomy complications, didactic and simulation sessions improved clinician confidence.^2,3
• The tracheostomy can decrease length of ICU stay, patient comfort, and weaning from mechanical ventilation.
• Tracheostomy tube parts and tube types (cuffed, uncuffed, and fenestrated) can be seen in Figure 2 and Figure 3.
• Tracheostomy tube sizes are not universal between brands.