Emergency airway management

Maintenance of the airway is the most important and one of the most challenging functions that an emergency physician has to perform. This article is a review of the various techniques that can be used by both emergency and nonemergency physicians to secure the airway. It includes standard orotracheal intubation, nasotracheal intubation, fiberoptic intubation, and cricothyroidotomy. The medications used in these procedures and in rapid sequence intubation are discussed.