Category Archives: Equipment

Nairobi Airway Course 2017: Photos

Some photos of the action at the Nairobi Surgical Skills Centre this week. Many thanks to the local faculty from the University of Nairobi and other institutions, the companies that supported use of the facilities and equipment, and the enthusiastic delegates!



Resources and notes from the course are available on the course page here

NAPEM’17: Securing the Paediatric Airway – What’s New?

As promised, my presentation from the 9th National Assembly on Paediatric Emergency Medicine currently being held at the Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences & Research in Hyderabad, India.  There is much more content in the audio, which I will try to add to the post later when it is available.Thoughts? Comments?  Post them below!

NAPEM’17: Paediatric Difficult Airway in the ED

As promised/per usual, here’s my presentation from the current National Assembly on Paediatric Emergency Medicine, being held now (16-19 Feb 2017) at the Apollo Institute of Medical Sciences & Research, Hyderabad, India.  Much of the content is in the audio, of course…which I will post if/when available.
Comments welcome below as usual!

How to build a breathing, bleeding cricothyroidotomy simulator

Jean-Christopher Ozenne (@JCOzenne) of Gouvieux, France has generously published this great video on how to build “The Mustache” – a breathing, bleeding cricothyroidotomy simulator – using cheap and ubiquitous equipment.  Can’t wait to try this one out…I particularly like the artistic touch.  To paraphrase V himself:  A cric trainer without bleeding is not a cric trainer worth having.

Bronchial blockers: EZ-Blocker

Herewith a quick tutorial on the use and placement of the bifurcated, dual-balloon ‘EZ-Blocker’ bronchial blocker.  More videos on the DLT vs BB debate, the other blockers, and troubleshooting advice to follow.  Comments welcomed as always!

Video: Surgical cricothyroidotomy (DAS 2015)

Quick overview of the surgical cricothyroidotomy technique as presented in the 2015 Difficult Airway Society guidelines.  This is simply presenting the technique in a manikin model, not intended as a debate about the relative merits of needle vs. surgical, blade vs. hook, scalpel-finger-bougie vs. scalpel-bougie-tube, etc!

Don’t forget to wear your PPE (gloves, mask, eye protection) and appropriately secure the tube afterwards.

As always, constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement are always welcomed in the comments section.

Video: Aintree intubation technique

Technique for using the Aintree Intubating Catheter (AIC) to exchange between a supraglottic airway (SGA) and endotracheal tube (ETT).  This is typically required when an airway has been ‘rescued’ with an SGA that is not designed for direct intubation, with a narrow internal diameter or obstructions.  The Aintree has a length of 55cm, internal diameter of 4.8 mm (not 4.2 as stated in the video) and external diameter of 6.0 mm, allowing a paediatric fibrescope or flexible intubating vide endoscope (preferably 4 mm or less) to be passed through the AIC, into the trachea, and then an ETT railroaded after removal of the SGA over the AIC.  If that sounds confusing, watch the video!

Tips/tricks/advice/critique?  Leave a comment!

The Difficult Airway Society (DAS) have a nice poster guide to help you remember how to do this – click the image below to open/download. (Open access).

DAS AIC Guideline - Click image to download PDF directly.
DAS AIC Guideline – Click image to download PDF directly.

AIC_abbreviated_Guide_Final_for_DAS

Video: Flexible endoscopic intubation through SGAs

A description of the technique for intubating through a supraglottic airway that offers a sufficiently large internal bore to allow an appropriate-sized endotracheal tube using an adult fibreoptic or flexible video endoscope.  Take note of the method of providing ventilation during the endoscopy!

As usual, this is an unscripted video, and constructive critique is welcomed to help us improve the educational offering.