Clinical-use limit: Educational resource and cognitive-aid guide only; not a bedside order set or substitute for local protocol, medical direction, or clinical judgment.
Case management cards Tap each card to reveal the focused answer. The four cards match the airway workflow: before, during, after, and pitfalls.
Before intubation Preparation, physiology, positioning, equipment, and Plan B. Tap to reveal Before intubation Call anesthesia/ENT/airway backup early; assess tongue, floor of mouth, voice, stridor, and progression. Prepare awake or spontaneous-ventilation strategy when indicated. Stage surgical airway equipment and declare the trigger for front-of-neck access. During intubation Execution priorities during the attempt. Tap to reveal During intubation Avoid repeated traumatic attempts that worsen edema. Keep oxygenation and spontaneous ventilation when feasible. If deterioration occurs, move decisively to the declared rescue pathway. After intubation Post-tube reassessment, ventilation, sedation, and handoff. Tap to reveal After intubation Secure tube, avoid accidental extubation, and communicate difficult-airway status. Continue disease-specific therapy and ICU monitoring. Document airway findings and rescue pathway. Common pitfalls Predictable traps to avoid. Tap to reveal Common pitfalls Waiting until complete obstruction. Paralyzing before rescue plan is realistic. Multiple blind attempts in a swollen airway.