TAMING THE SRU - June 26, 2017
(IMAGES PUBLISHED WITH THE WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE PATIENT)
...Difficult airways can be stressful for the provider, the team, and the patient. Vocalizing the airway plan for all involved is helpful to ensure that all team members know their roles and the plan going forward. Lack of knowledge that the backup plan involves a surgical airway can increase anxiety among the team members involved and lead to unnecessary errors or delays. In the case outlined above, each provider knew the initial plan and was aware of the alternative which helped to facilitate a seamless transition from the failed awake look attempt to the definitive surgical airway.
In summary, performing a surgical cricothyrotomy is one of the most stressful situations that emergency providers face. Realistic simulation for this procedure is difficult to replicate. Therefore, learning from the experience of others can help future providers save the life of the patient that cannot oxygenate, cannot ventilate, and cannot intubate.
For futher reading and videos - See Dr. Hill's Cric Page