How to do an emergency tracheotomy?

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you need to perform an emergency tracheotomy? Maybe your dinner party took a wrong turn and someone is choking on their appetizers, or perhaps you’re stranded on a desert island with no medical professionals in sight. Whatever the case may be, knowing how to perform this life-saving procedure could mean the difference between life and death. In this article, we’ll guide you through everything you need to know.

What Is A Tracheotomy And When Is It Needed?

A tracheotomy is a medical procedure that involves creating an opening in the windpipe (trachea) by making an incision in the neck. This opening helps people breathe when there’s something obstructing their airways or they have difficulty breathing due to stenosis, paralysis of vocal cords, severe facial trauma or any other reason which blocks respiration (don’t worry if these terms sound complicated – we’ll define them all later).

Tracheotomies can either be planned ahead of time as part of someone’s ongoing medical care or performed as emergency surgery under critical circumstances such as:

• Anaphylaxis
• Aspirated foreign body blocking Upper Airway
• Severe injuries around mouth/jaw/throat/neck
• Airway collapse due to drugs/sedatives overdose

Without timely intervention using trachyoctomy vascular access -the temporary lifesaving techniques used till getting definitive airway management-, people struggling for breath face potential irreversible breathing impairment leading towards hypoxemia/stroke/coma/death.

However “emergency” really means “EMERGENCY“; conditions requiring emergency treatment must be immediately responded without delay at any hour possible due to risk factor involved; You don’t want anyone dying because it took too long for doctors or nurses who were busy doing paperwork!

Items Required For An Emergency Tracheotomy

Before rushing to perform an emergency tracheotomy, it’s vital you gather all the necessary items to ensure a successful procedure. Here are the key things that should be within easy reach:

1. Scalpel or Knife: A sharp surgical blade used for making incisions.
2. Endotracheal Tube (ETT) Obturator: A thin, flexible tube with a stiff wire inside designed for insertion into the airway and passage of body fluids which will obviate your requirement of performing open-air rescue breathing in critical situations
3. Surgical forceps(called Magills): These are essential tools held by assistant/another person helping you during this emergency; instrumental device looks like scissor but have curved pointed ends which aid holding protruding edges peacefully yet firmly allowing smooth placement of Endotrachial tube.
4. Sterile Gloves(Conform TPE Latex-Free Type), Face mask& Eye Shield: To maintain hygiene & avoid cross-contamination risk at every stage.

It’s highly recommended to keep everything on hand already packaged sterilely while going on trips or visiting public places as anything can happen there unexpectedly!

How To Do An Emergency Tracheotomy?

Now that we’ve covered what a tracheotomy is and gathered all necessary supplies let’s dive into how to actually do it in case situation present itself where life may pass out due to low oxygen level from obstructed airways.

Here’s what you need:

1st Step-Preparation:

Assemble your equipment conveniently nearby patient lying supine(face-upward) ensuring good positioning almost angled between head & shoulder joint so as not collapsing upper shape of chest-area but allows neck extending more upwards toward sky please consider children/adults posture variations here :

• Wash hands thoroughly using soap/water/pre-operative antiseptic hands wash procedures , wear clean gloves if available
• Lift the chin with a pressure/tilted head backward using neck tilt maneuver or third helping hand as available for better accessibility; Place sterile sheet towels around the targeted area to avoid contamination.

2nd Step-Identifying The Trachea

It’s important to locate the trachea before making an incision. You can do this by feeling for the Adam’s apple at the front of your patient’s throat (Don’t worry, there are other ways too).

Feel underneath, and you’ll notice a small gap or hollow right below that lump which is called cricoid cartilage – this will be where you make your incision. Put one hand on top of their forehead to stabilize them and use two fingers from another hand placed 1-2cm above here applying slight downwards pressure towards ground then normally/traditionally anatomical landmark cricothyroid membrane can also be accessed easily between thyroid & cricoids cartilages while having palpated check so as not going beyond target structures.

After it identified precisely, try little horizontal movements passing tip of Liliequivest Probe (it could help tracing proper position, thickness variation etc) across membranes more accurately after getting consent once again -that alignment was correct-.

3rd Step-Making The Incision

Once you have located the trachea correctly using any method possible , take scalpel in non-dominant gloved hand near IncisorTeeth’s upper lip and palm up grabbing blade little angled way slice through skin/fat/muscle layers downwind direction covering about half centimeter onto tube forwardly/towards target. Another tactic compromising risks since subcutaneous fat increase firmness difficulty reaching deeper-seated stellate muscles which closely encircle airway duct reducing chances injuring accidental underlying vessels/nerves

Then grasp scissors properly cutting away edges providing perfect air limits avoiding rough areas making a clean cut which will also help in future managing bleeding.

4th Step-Opening The Airways

After the incision is made, it’s time to open up the airways. You’ll need an endotracheal tube (ETT) obtrator for this step (that’s the thin, flexible tubing with a stiff wire inside).

Here are the key steps involved:

1. Insert obturator gently until tip reached Inside of trachea and resistance can be felt clearly then pull backward getting that outwards.
2. Remove obturator while canal isn’t obstructed by any means or causing significant haemorrhage during process
   3.Tube should remain steady at proper place allowing maximal aerodynamic fluid exchange between trachea & environment

To confirm placement within correct position without other complications such as kinking or movement confirming by visual observation using wall & capnography devices as well auscultation methods of chest sounds

Once everything has been put correctly into its positions remove blades/forceps wipe away blood remaining , avoid making more holes instead utilize techniques available modifying them according to emergency conditions present but always prioritize patient safety first and foremost chances play pivotal role throughout procedure leading towards optimal outcomes . Taking enough care protective measures keeping you same stress level during emergencies altogether matter when confronting patients suffering choking episodes requiring immediate attention !