**Difficult Airway Intubation**

[91] Jones JW, Reynolds M, Hewitt RL, Drapanas T. Tracheo-innominate artery erosion: Successful surgical management of a devastating complication. Annals of Surgery. 1976 Aug;

[92] Richter T, Gottschlich B, Sutarski S, Müller R, Ragaller M. Late life-threatening hemorrhage after percutaneous tracheostomy. International Journal of Otolaryngology. 2011;

[93] Vaidya N, Strauchler D, Guelfguat M. Computed tomography angiography diagnosis of tracheoinnominate fistula: A case report and review of literature. Quantitative Imaging in

2011:3. Article ID 890380. DOI: 10.1155/2011/890380

Medicine and Surgery. 2013;3(2):121-125

184(2):194-204

112 Tracheal Intubation

**Chapter 6**

**Provisional chapter**

**Intubation: Difficult Airway**

**Intubation: Difficult Airway**

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.75512

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

difficult airway algorithm in their own institution(s).

plinary approach when left with placing a surgical airway.

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.75512

This chapter focuses on the difficult airway algorithm during the intubation process. The current published recommendations will address the definition of the difficult airway, steps by which to secure the airway, and when to employ a surgical airway in the form of tracheotomy or cricothyrodotomy. Finally, the role of the Otolaryngologist-Head and Neck Surgeon will be highlighted in the difficult airway team which should be multidisciplinary when handling airway concerns in a hospital. Overall, the goals of this chapter are to educate the reader on how to critically analyze and decide on the means to adopt a

**Keywords:** difficult airway guidelines, tracheotomy, cricothyroidotomy, surgical airway

Intubation is the mechanism to artificially secure the airway. When assessment of the airway yields concerns of poor oxygenation and ventilation through traditional technique, then a difficult airway algorithm should be considered. The difficult airway algorithm is described in multiple practice guidelines, amongst many specialties [1, 2]. This chapter reviews the definition of a difficult airway, anatomical and physiological considerations of a difficult airway, and the tools that are utilized when attempting a difficult airway intubation. Lastly, from a head and neck surgical perspective, the chapter will discuss the options for surgical airway, when to consider placement of a surgical airway, and what is required from a multidisci-

> © 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

© 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use,

distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Vaninder K. Dhillon

Vaninder K. Dhillon

**Abstract**

**1. Introduction**

#### **Chapter 6 Provisional chapter**

#### **Intubation: Difficult Airway Intubation: Difficult Airway**

#### Vaninder K. Dhillon Vaninder K. Dhillon

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.75512

**Abstract**

This chapter focuses on the difficult airway algorithm during the intubation process. The current published recommendations will address the definition of the difficult airway, steps by which to secure the airway, and when to employ a surgical airway in the form of tracheotomy or cricothyrodotomy. Finally, the role of the Otolaryngologist-Head and Neck Surgeon will be highlighted in the difficult airway team which should be multidisciplinary when handling airway concerns in a hospital. Overall, the goals of this chapter are to educate the reader on how to critically analyze and decide on the means to adopt a difficult airway algorithm in their own institution(s).

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.75512

**Keywords:** difficult airway guidelines, tracheotomy, cricothyroidotomy, surgical airway

#### **1. Introduction**

Intubation is the mechanism to artificially secure the airway. When assessment of the airway yields concerns of poor oxygenation and ventilation through traditional technique, then a difficult airway algorithm should be considered. The difficult airway algorithm is described in multiple practice guidelines, amongst many specialties [1, 2]. This chapter reviews the definition of a difficult airway, anatomical and physiological considerations of a difficult airway, and the tools that are utilized when attempting a difficult airway intubation. Lastly, from a head and neck surgical perspective, the chapter will discuss the options for surgical airway, when to consider placement of a surgical airway, and what is required from a multidisciplinary approach when left with placing a surgical airway.

© 2016 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. © 2018 The Author(s). Licensee IntechOpen. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
