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Review article

CRICOTHYROTOMY – URGENT ACCESS TO THE AIRWAY, WHEN AND HOW?

TENA ŠIMUNJAK ; University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
TATJANA GORANOVIĆ ; Sveti Duh University Hospital, Department of Anesthesiology, Resuscitation and Intensive Care Medicine, Zagreb, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Medicine, Osijek, Croatia


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Abstract

Cricothyrotomy or coniotomy is an invasive emergency procedure to establish an airway for ventilation and oxygenation when other routine methods are not possible, or are contraindicated and ineffective. The indications are situations when we cannot ventilate and cannot intubate patients with severe maxillofacial trauma, edema secondary to burns of the face and airway, laryngo-hypopharyngeal obstruction of a wide range of causes such as bilateral vocal cord paralysis because of previous head and neck surgeries, endotracheal intubation, neurologic causes and laryngeal carcinomas, congenital malformations, craniofacial trauma with massive bleeding, etc. There are no absolute contraindications, while relative ones are few and include laceration of the larynx and trachea with or without retraction of the trachea in the mediastinum. In that case, tracheotomy is indicated. Cricothyrotomy is contraindicated in children. To perform the procedure, there are several techniques, i.e. standard surgical, emergency surgical procedure and percutaneous techniques. Early complications (incidence 0-54%) include bleeding, laceration of the thyroid, cricoid cartilage and tracheal rings, perforation of the rear tracheal wall, tube misinsertion, unplanned tracheostomy, wound and cartilage infection. Long-term complications include subglottic stenosis and phonation diffi culties. Cricothyrotomy is a temporary solution to obtain ventilation and oxygenation and the need for prolonged ventilation (more than 72 h) has to be replaced with tracheotomy.

Keywords

critical airway; cricothyrotomy; indications; techniques

Hrčak ID:

209067

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/209067

Publication date:

18.11.2018.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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