Emergency airway puncture Health Article

Definition

Emergency airway puncture is an emergency insertion of a hollow needle into the airway (larynx). It is used to treat life-threatening choking.

Alternative Names

Needle cricothyrotomy

Description

In an emergency situation, when someone is choking and all other efforts to assist with breathing have failed, a hollow needle can be inserted into the throat, just below the Adam's apple (cricoid cartilage). In hospital settings, a small skin incision may be made before inserting the needle or tube.

Indications

A cricothyrotomy is recommended as an emergency procedure to relieve an airway obstruction until surgical placement of a breathing tube (tracheostomy) can be done.

Risks

Risks for any surgery are:

• Bleeding
• Infection

Additional risks include trauma to the larynx, thyroid gland, or esophagus.

Expectations after surgery

Emergency airway puncture (cricothyrotomy) can be quite effective in relieving an airway obstruction.

Convalescence

See: Tracheostomy

References

Marx J. Rosen’s Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 6th ed. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2006.

Roberts JR, Hedges JR. Clinical Procedures in Emergency Medicine. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: WB Saunders; 2004.