Airway management: Apps & podcasts

Topicalisation and sedation for the awake fibreoptic intubation:

Awake Fibreoptic Intubation (AFOI) is an essential core component of the Anaesthetist skill set. Successful AFOI relies on 3 critical elements to ensure a successful intubation. 

1. An informed discussion and consent with the patient about the procedure.
2. An appropriate preparation of the airway, which may range from a pure topicalisation to a pure sedation technique or a combination of both.
3. The ability to navigate and drive the fibrescope.

This application aims to address the first 2 elements and discuss the theory behind the 3rd element. It contains a step by step based simple AFOI topicalisation technique calculator, a reference section and links to web-based videos and sites.

It is useful as a point of reference and as a teaching aid about AFOI for experienced fibreoptic endoscopists, who are likely to have developed their own techniques based on their reading, training and experiences.

BJA podcasts

These podcasts from the British Journal of Anaesthesia (BJA), discuss a broad range of issues including those in perioperative and intensive care medicine. The BJA is available through the ANZCA Library Journals list.

Podcast of interest:

• DAS unanticipated difficult intubation guidelines 2015 overview with Dr Chris Frerk based on this article.