[Invasive airway management]

Abstract

Invasive airway management techniques are the bottom line of most difficult airway management algorithms when less invasive measures (e.g. endotracheal intubation, bag-valve-mask ventilation, or supraglottic airways) have failed. Various devices for transtracheal jet ventilation in children are available, while cricothyrotomy is the gold standard for establishing an invasive airway in adults. Percutaneous tracheostomy could become an alternative to cricothyrotomy if applied by experienced physicians, however, clear scientific evidence to advocate percutaneous tracheostomy in airway emergencies is still pending.