Difficult Airway Society guidelines for awake tracheal intubation in adults – is lidocaine topicalisation safe?
A. Evans, Ben Morton, Peter Groom
Abstract
Recent Difficult Airway Society (DAS) awake tracheal intubation (ATI) guidelines 1 recommend that ‘effective (lidocaine) topicalisation must be established and tested ’ and that ‘sedation must not be used as a substitute for inadequate airway topicalisation ’. We are concerned this is a flawed approach that may, of itself, precipitate airway obstruction.
Topics & Concepts
MedicineLidocaineAnesthesiaIntubationTracheal intubationAirwayAirway managementLaryngoscopesIntensive care medicineAirway Management and Intubation TechniquesAnesthesia and Sedative AgentsTracheal and airway disorders