Applied anatomy of cricothyrotomy and tracheostomy

Doctors in training are called upon to perform many practical procedures - often under emergency conditions. All of these depend on a knowledge of their anatomical basis. All too often, the complications which occur, some serious and even life-threatening, are the result of failure to appreciate these anatomical facts. Arterial injury following 'venous' cannulation, damage to the liver or stomach after insertion of a chest drain, pneumothorax consequent on the insertion of a subclavian line - the list can go on and on. In this series of articles, the anatomical basis of a number of everyday procedures is described and illustrated.These articles are not intended to tell you how to do the procedure, but hopefully will help you 'visualize' the structures that you are dealing with and help prevent their injury.