Understanding Anesthesiology - The Global Regional Anesthesia ...

Airway obstruction
Causes of airway obstruction can be categorized broadly as follows:
a) Obstruction caused by normal tissue such as the tongue, tonsils, larynx and other soft tissue.
Laryngospasm is an example of airway obstruction that occurs in the anesthesia setting.
b) Obstruction caused by pathology of normal tissue such as that which occurs from infection,
inflammation , tumour or trauma. Examples of infectious processes that can lead to
airway obstruction include croup, epiglottitis and sublingual abcesses.
c) Obstruction caused by foreign body inhalation.
Signs of airway obstruction in the spontaneously-breathing patient include stridor, a
rocking-boat appearance to the chest and tracheal indrawing.
Unresolved, airway obstruction leads to hypoxia and hypercarbia.
Related Glossary Terms
Extubation, Hypoxemia, Laryngeal mask airway (LMA), Laryngospasm, Larynx, Patency,
Subglottis, Upper airway
Index
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Chapter 1 - Airway Management
Chapter 1 - Airway Management
Chapter 3 - General Anesthesia
Chapter 3 - General Anesthesia
Chapter 3 - General Anesthesia
Chapter 3 - General Anesthesia
Chapter 4 - Recovery
Chapter 5 - Pediatric Anesthesia