Airway management is essential in emergency and surgical medicine, ensuring ventilation and oxygenation in patients who cannot maintain their own airway. Clinicians use a range of techniques and devices to secure the airway, depending on the patient’s condition and the clinical context. Key methods include endotracheal intubation, rapid sequence intubation (RSI), supraglottic airway devices, and advanced visualization aids. In cases where these approaches fail, surgical airway...

Endoscopy is a non-surgical medical technique used to examine a person's internal organs and vessels. This lesson will focus on two types of endoscopic studies: bronchoscopy and thoracoscopy.
Bronchoscopy
Description
Bronchoscopy is a procedure that involves direct visualization of the larynx, trachea, and bronchi for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. A flexible fiber optic or rigid bronchoscope is used to carry out the procedure. The fiber-optic bronchoscope is more frequently used due...

Sigmoidoscopy and laparoscopy are distinct medical procedures that enable physicians to internally inspect different parts of the GI tract. Although they serve different purposes, each is essential for diagnosing and, in some cases, treating various medical conditions.
Sigmoidoscopy
Sigmoidoscopy is a diagnostic procedure that uses a flexible sigmoidoscope equipped with a light source and camera to examine the rectum and sigmoid colon. The procedure involves inserting the tube through the anus...

An Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) is a diagnostic procedure in which an endoscopist uses a flexible, lighted endoscope to visualize the upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract. The procedure includes visualizing the oropharynx, esophagus, stomach, and the first part of the small intestine, the duodenum.
During an EGD, the endoscope can be used to:

Endotracheal or ET intubation is a critical medical procedure used to secure a patient's airway, often in acute respiratory distress, apnea, upper airway obstruction, ineffective clearance of secretions, high risk for aspiration, or during general anesthesia.
The ET tube comprises various components, including a standard adaptor to attach a bag-valve-mask (BVM) or ventilator, a cuff, a pilot balloon, and radiopaque markings along its length to measure the insertion distance. The tube sizes...

Tracheostomy suctioning is a critical procedure healthcare professionals perform to maintain a patent airway in patients with a tracheostomy tube. This procedure is necessary when secretions accumulate in the airway, causing respiratory distress. Here is a step-wise procedural guide for performing tracheostomy suctioning using an open system.
Equipment Required
First, gather all necessary equipment: a sterile suction catheter, a sterile disposable container, sterile gloves, a towel or...