Oral Airway Presentation

Oropharyngeal Airway Placement

Adam A. Divine, EMT-P, PI-Candidate

Oropharyngeal Airways

• Objectives

Oropharyngeal Airways

• Oropharyngeal airway (OP)– Curved, Hard Plastic device that is

designed to go over the back of the tongue

– Prevents tongue from occluding airway

– Range in Size from 00 to 6

– Aids in Airway Suctioning

Oropharyngeal Airway

• There are several different styles of OP Airways but all of them serve the same general purpose.

Oropharyngeal Airway

• Indications– OP Airways are indicated in

unconscious patients without a gag reflex

– An Oral Airway will prevent the tongue, which is the most common airway obstruction, from blocking the airway when properly inserted.

Oropharyngeal Airway

• Contraindications

– OP Airways should NOT be used in responsive patients

– Or in patients with a Gag Reflex.

Oropharyngeal Airway

Oropharyngeal Airway• Selecting the Proper Size

– Measure from the corner of the patient’s mouth to the angle of the jaw.

Oropharyngeal Airway

• Insertion procedure– Airway should be upside down as it is

inserted into mouth.

Oropharyngeal Airway

• Insertion procedure– Rotate sideways as airway passes

over tongue

Oropharyngeal Airway• Insertion procedure

– Place in correct position once past the tongue with the flange flush with the teeth.

Oropharyngeal Airway

Oropharyngeal Airway

Oropharyngeal Airway

“Failure to Manage the airway is a major cause of preventable death in the Prehospital setting.

– Understand the importance of:• Early Detection of Airway Problems• Rapid and Effective Intervention• Continual reassessment.”

Oropharyngeal Airways

• Summary

Oropharyngeal Airway• Footnotes

– “Airway Adjuncts, Bag Mask Ventilation, and Laryngeal Mask Airways” Matthew Musick, Fellows Boot Camp 2013 ppt

– http://www.slideshare.net/webservtech1/power-point-airway-management

– “Unlocking Airway Management Skills…” Kansas BEMS EMS Education Task Force August 2002

– “Airway, Airway – Who’s got the Airway?” Issues and Techniques in EMS Airway Management by Silver Cross EMS System, January 2012

– “Airway Management and Ventilation” Chapter 15, Jones & Bartlett Learning LLC, Copyright 2013 www.jblearning.com