Topic Resources Oropharyngeal airways are rigid intraoral devices that conform to the tongue and displace it away from the posterior pharyngeal wall, thereby restoring pharyngeal airway patency. Pharyngeal airways (both oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal) are a component of preliminary upper airway management for
patients with apnea or severe ventilatory failure, which also includes Proper patient positioning Manual jaw maneuvers The goal of all of these methods is to relieve upper airway obstruction caused by a relaxed tongue lying on the posterior pharyngeal wall. Oropharyngeal airways are indicated for unconscious patients in the setting of
Absolute contraindications
Relative contraindications Insertion of an oropharyngeal airway may not be feasible in some settings, such as
Nasopharyngeal airways may be used instead.
The sniffing position—only in the absence of cervical spine injury:
If cervical spine injury is a possibility:
Head and neck positioning to open the airway: Sniffing positionA: The head is flat on the stretcher; the airway is constricted. B: The ear and sternal notch are aligned, with the face parallel to the ceiling (in the sniffing position), opening the airway. Adapted from Levitan RM, Kinkle WC: The Airway Cam Pocket Guide to Intubation, ed. 2. Wayne (PA), Airway Cam Technologies, 2007.
Copyright © 2022 Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA and its affiliates. All rights reserved. What is the preferred method for inserting an oropharyngeal airway in infants?Insertion of an Oropharyngeal Airway, Baby
Open baby's mouth. Using a tongue depressor to assist with insertion, insert airway with curved end facing down, following natural curvature of baby's airway.
What are the sizes of oropharyngeal airway?Adult sizes are the #8 (8 cm), #9 (9 cm), #10 (10 cm), and #11 (11 cm), designated according to the height measured horizontally from the flanges to the distal end of the airway. There may be variations in both shape and length between different OPA manufacturers.
How is the oropharyngeal airway sized quizlet?How is the appropriate size of an oropharyngeal airway estimated? -Based on the length in mm from the center of the mouth to the angle of the jaw. -Or from the corner of the mouth to the earlobe.
Can an OPA be used on an infant? Displacing the tongue anteriorly is the recommended method for inserting an OPA in a pediatric patient. This is the only method that should be used for inserting an OPA in infants.
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