What’s New in Airway Management

As the condition of patients presenting for anesthesia and surgery continues to become more complex, so has airway management. In addition, the number of patients who require anesthesia and airway management outside the operating room setting is increasing. New airway devices continue to be introduced into the market and clinical practice, making airway management decisions even more challenging. According to the ASA Closed Claims database, the number of claims involving airway management, both inside and outside the operating room setting, is substantial. This chapter discusses some of the new evaluation methods and devices, many of the issues surrounding airway competency, airway management outside the operating room setting, and the role of simulation and standardization in airway education and airway management. In addition, several still-unanswered questions, such as how to predict airway difficulty, which airway device to choose, how to assess airway competency, and how to disseminate difficult airway information to both medical providers and patients, will be addressed.