• Unconscious trauma patient? intubate!

• GCS < 8? intubate!

• stabbed in the neck, GCS = 15, expanding mass in lateral neck? intubate!

• Stabbed in neck with crackling to palpation of anterior neck? fiberoptic broncoscope!

• huge facial trauma, blood obscures oral cavity? cricothyroidotomy/cricothyrotomy!

• Patient with massive facial trauma precluding standard tracheal intubation and gurgling noises on exam, who should have an airway established via a cricothyrotomy
• Indications for cricothyrotomy: (1) Inability to intubate (2) Inability to ventilate (3) Inability to maintain O2 sat > 90% (4) Severe traumatic injury that prevents oral/nasal tracheal intubation
• Key idea: Cricothyrotomy is most often used in patients who have experienced a traumatic injury

https://step-prep.org/tutoring/

Cricothyrotomy -

Indications: 'cannot-intubate-cannot-ventilate' (CICV) scenario (if orotracheal intubation has failed or is contraindicated)

Angioedema

Foreign body in upper airway

Severe oropharyngeal/nasal bleeding

Severe maxillofacial trauma