Summary
The incidence of unanticipated difficult or failed airway in otherwise healthy children is rare, and routine airway management in pediatric patients is easy in experienced hands. However, difficulties with airway management in healthy children are not infrequent in nonpediatric anesthetists and are a main reason for pediatric anesthesia-related morbidity and mortality. Clear concepts and strategies are, therefore, required to maintain oxygenation and ventilation in children. Several complicated algorithms for the management of the unanticipated difficult adult and pediatric airway have been proposed, but a simple structured algorithm for the pediatric patient with unanticipated difficult airway is missing. This paper proposes a simple step-wise algorithm for the unexpected difficult pediatric airway based on an adult Difficult Airway Society (DAS) protocol, discusses the role of recently introduced airway devices, and suggests a content of a pediatric airway trolley. It is intended as an easy to memorize and a practical guide for the anesthetist only occasionally involved in pediatric anesthesia care as well as a call to stimulate discussion about the management of the unanticipated difficult pediatric airway.

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/j.1460-9592.2010.03284.x

Proposal for the management of the unexpected difficult pediatric airway.

Background: Flexible airway endoscopy (FAE) is an accepted and frequently performed procedure in the evaluation of children with known or suspected airway and lung parenchymal disorders. However, published technical standards on how to perform FAE in children are lacking.Methods: The American Thoracic Society (ATS) approved the formation of a multidisciplinary committee to delineate technical standards for performing FAE in children. The committee completed a pragmatic synthesis of the evidence and used the evidence synthesis to answer clinically relevant questions.Results: There is a paucity of randomized controlled trials in pediatric FAE. The committee developed recommendations based predominantly on the collective clinical experience of our committee members highlighting the importance of FAE-specific airway management techniques and anesthesia, establishing suggested competencies for the bronchoscopist in training, and defining areas deserving further investigation.Conclusions: These ATS-sponsored te...

/pdf/official-american-thoracic-society-technical-standards-54yassd415.pdf

Official American Thoracic Society Technical Standards: Flexible Airway Endoscopy in Children

Difficult airway management and maintenance of oxygenation remain the two most challenging tasks for anesthetists, while also being controversial items in terms of clinically based-evidence to support relevant guidelines in the literature. Nevertheless, different expert groups and scientific societies from several countries have published guidelines dedicated to the management of difficult airways. These documents have been demonstrated to be useful in reducing airway management related critical accidents, despite their limited use in litigations and legal issues. The aim of this review is to compare different airway management guidelines published by the United States, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, and Canada while trying to elucidate the main differences, weaknesses, and strengths for identifying critical concepts in the management of difficult airways.

Algorithms for difficult airway management: a review.

Since the last Canadian Airway Focus Group (CAFG) guidelines were published in 2013, the literature on airway management has expanded substantially. The CAFG therefore re-convened to examine this literature and update practice recommendations. This first of two articles addresses difficulty encountered with airway management in an unconscious patient. Canadian Airway Focus Group members, including anesthesia, emergency medicine, and critical care physicians, were assigned topics to search. Searches were run in the Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and CINAHL databases. Results were presented to the group and discussed during video conferences every two weeks from April 2018 to July 2020. These CAFG recommendations are based on the best available published evidence. Where high-quality evidence was lacking, statements are based on group consensus. Most studies comparing video laryngoscopy (VL) with direct laryngoscopy indicate a higher first attempt and overall success rate with VL, and lower complication rates. Thus, resources allowing, the CAFG now recommends use of VL with appropriately selected blade type to facilitate all tracheal intubations. If a first attempt at tracheal intubation or supraglottic airway (SGA) placement is unsuccessful, further attempts can be made as long as patient ventilation and oxygenation is maintained. Nevertheless, total attempts should be limited (to three or fewer) before declaring failure and pausing to consider “exit strategy” options. For failed intubation, exit strategy options in the still-oxygenated patient include awakening (if feasible), temporizing with an SGA, a single further attempt at tracheal intubation using a different technique, or front-of-neck airway access (FONA). Failure of tracheal intubation, face-mask ventilation, and SGA ventilation together with current or imminent hypoxemia defines a “cannot ventilate, cannot oxygenate” emergency. Neuromuscular blockade should be confirmed or established, and a single final attempt at face-mask ventilation, SGA placement, or tracheal intubation with hyper-angulated blade VL can be made, if it had not already been attempted. If ventilation remains impossible, emergency FONA should occur without delay using a scalpel-bougie-tube technique (in the adult patient). The CAFG recommends all institutions designate an individual as “airway lead” to help institute difficult airway protocols, ensure adequate training and equipment, and help with airway-related quality reviews.

/pdf/canadian-airway-focus-group-updated-consensus-based-1n87qwz6sg.pdf

Canadian Airway Focus Group updated consensus-based recommendations for management of the difficult airway: part 1. Difficult airway management encountered in an unconscious patient

This article looks at the current techniques and equipment recommended for the management of the difficult intubation scenario in pediatric practice. We discuss the general considerations including preoperative preparation, the preferred anesthetic technique and the use of both rigid laryngoscopic and fiberoptic techniques for intubation. The unanticipated scenario is also discussed.

/pdf/the-management-of-difficult-intubation-in-children-2k2z4l8upd.pdf

The Management of difficult intubation in children

Recommendations for airway control and difficult airway management in paediatric patients.

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Recommendations for airway control and difficult airway management in paediatric patients.