Every Emergency Department Should Stock Two Types of Supraglottic Airways: Laryngeal Tube Rescue After Failure of a Laryngeal Mask Airway: A Two Case Series.
Michael C Perlmutter, Aaron E Robinson, Robert F Reardon et al.
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Case in brief
Two cases in an emergency department highlighted the importance of having multiple types of supraglottic airways (SGAs) available. In the first case, a patient with undiagnosed Klippel-Feil syndrome experienced hypoxemia after failed intubation and ineffective ventilation with a laryngeal mask-style SGA, but oxygenation was restored with a laryngeal tube. The second case involved a patient with penetrating neck trauma who could not be ventilated with a laryngeal mask-style device, yet successful ventilation was achieved with a laryngeal tube, facilitating controlled intubation.
Diagnostic / clinical pearl
Clinicians should recognize that supraglottic airways are not interchangeable; having both laryngeal mask and laryngeal tube devices can enhance airway management safety.
Why it matters
These cases underscore the necessity for emergency departments to stock different classes of supraglottic airways to improve patient outcomes during airway emergencies.