1. Airway Management
Chapter 6

2. 6-1: Clearing the Airway Using Finger Sweeps
1. Turn the patient onto his or her side.
2. Insert your fingers into the patient’s mouth.
3. Curve your fingers into a C-shape and sweep them from one side of the back of the mouth to the other side.

3. 6-2: Inserting an Oral Airway (1 of 2)
1. Size the airway by measuring from the patient’s earlobe to the corner of the mouth.
2. Insert the oral airway upside down along the roof of the patient’s mouth until you feel resistance.

4. 6-2: Inserting an Oral Airway (2 of 2)
3. Rotate the airway 180° until the flange comes to rest on the patient’s lips or teeth.

5. 6-3: Inserting a Nasal Airway
1. Size the airway by measuring from the earlobe to the tip of the patient’s nose.
2. Insert the lubricated airway into the larger nostril.
3. Advance the airway until the flange rests against the nose.

6. 6-4: Performing Mouth-to-Mask Rescue Breathing (1 of 2)
1. Open the airway using the head tilt–chin lift maneuver.
2. Or, open the airway using the jaw-thrust technique.

7. 6-4: Performing Mouth-to-Mask Rescue Breathing (2 of 2)
3. Seal the mask against the patient’s face.
4. Breathe through the mouth-piece.

8. 6-5: Performing Mouth-to-Barrier Rescue Breathing
1. Open the airway using the head tilt–chin lift maneuver.
2. Place the barrier device over the patient’s mouth.
3. Pinch the patient’s nostrils together and perform rescue breathing.

9. 6-6: Using a Bag-Mask Device With One Rescuer (1 of 3)
1. Kneel at the patient’s head and maintain an open airway. Check the patient’s mouth for fluids, foreign bodies, and dentures.
2. Select the proper mask size.

10. 6-6: Using a Bag-Mask Device With One Rescuer (2 of 3)
3. Place the mask over the patient’s face.
4. Seal the mask.

11. 6-6: Using a Bag-Mask Device With One Rescuer (3 of 3)
5. Squeeze the bag with your other hand. Check for chest rise.
6. Add supplemental oxygen.

12. 6-7: Performing Infant Rescue Breathing (1 of 2)
1. Establish the patient’s level of responsiveness.
2. Open the infant’s airway using the head tilt–chin lift maneuver.
Photos courtesy of Jennifer and Marc Lemaire.

13. 6-7: Performing Infant Rescue Breathing (2 of 2)
3. Check for breathing by looking, listening, and feeling.
4. Perform infant rescue breathing.
Photos courtesy of Jennifer and Marc Lemaire.

14. 6-8: Managing Airway Obstruction in a Conscious Patient
1. Look for signs of choking.
2. Place your fist with the thumb side against the patient’s abdomen, just above the navel.
3. Grasp the fist with your other hand and press into the abdomen with quick inward and upward thrusts.

15. 6-9: Performing Cricoid Pressure (1 of 2)
1. Locate the Adam’s apple.
2. Slide your index finger down to the bottom of the larynx and locate the first ring of cartilage below the larynx, which is the cricoid cartilage.

16. 6-9: Performing Cricoid Pressure (2 of 2)
3. Use the tip of your thumb and the tip of your index finger to apply firm pressure on this ring toward the patient’s spine (posterior). Maintain this pressure until relieved by another rescuer or until the patient is intubated.