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Cricothyrotomy
Up Cricothyrotomy Lumbar puncture Thoracocentesis

BASIC Instructor & Provider Course, October 2008, Sydney. Registration deadline 27th September.
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Dilational cricothyrotomy

  1. Prepare equipment
  2. Advance handle into airway catheter
  3. Identify cricothyroid membrane
  4. Palpate membrane, stabilize cartilage and make a midline incision
  5. Attach cannula to syringe filled with saline and advance cannula through incision and cricothyroid membrane. Confirm entry into airway by aspirating air
  6. Remove syring and trocar and advance soft flexible end of guidewire through catheter until it is several centimetres into airway
  7. Remove cannula, leaving the guidewire in place
  8. Slide dilator-catheter unit over guidewire into airway. NB keep hold of part of the guidewire at all times. Do not advance the tip of dilator beyond the tip of guidewire.
  9. Remove dilator and guidewire together, leaving the airway catheter in place. Connect the catheter to an appropriate ventilatory device.

Diagrams reproduced with the permission of Cook Critical Care, Bloomington, IN

 

©Charles Gomersall, September, 2008 unless otherwise stated. The author, editor and The Chinese University of Hong Kong take no responsibility for any adverse event resulting from the use of this webpage.
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