BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuEmergency airway punctureNeedle cricothyrotomyEmergency airway puncture is the placement of a hollow needle into the airway in the throat. It is done to treat life-threatening choking. Description Emergency airway puncture is done in an emergency situation, when someone is choking and all other efforts to assist with breathing have failed.Choking Choking is when someone is having a very hard time breathing because food, a toy, or other object is blocking the throat or windpipe (airway). A cho...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article A hollow needle or tube can be inserted into the throat, just below the Adam's apple (thyroid cartilage), into the airway. The needle passes between the thyroid cartilage and the cricoid cartilage. In a hospital, before inserting the needle, a small cut may be made in the skin and the membrane between the thyroid and cricoid cartilages. Why the Procedure Is Performed A needle cricothyrotomy is an emergency procedure to relieve an airway obstruction until surgery can be done to place a breathing tube (tracheostomy).Airway obstructionBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article TracheostomyA tracheostomy is a surgical procedure to create an opening through the neck into the trachea (windpipe). A tube is most often placed through this o...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article If the airway blockage occurs with trauma to the head, neck, or spine, care must be taken to avoid further injury to the person. Risks Risks for this procedure include:Injury to the voice box (larynx), thyroid gland, or esophagusRisks for any surgery are:Bleeding Infection Outlook (Prognosis) How well the person does depends on the cause of the airway blockage and how quickly the person receives proper breathing support. Emergency airway puncture provides enough breathing support for only a very short period of time.Open ReferencesReferencesCattano D, Piacentini AGG, Cavallone LF. Percutaneous emergency airway access. In: Hagberg CA, Artime CA, Aziz MF, eds. Hagberg and Benumof's Airway Management. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 27.Hebert RB, Thomas D. Cricothyrotomy and percutaneous translaryngeal ventilation. In: Roberts JR, Custalow CB, Thomsen TW, eds. Roberts and Hedges' Clinical Procedures in Emergency Medicine and Acute Care. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 6.AllVideoImagesTogEmergency airway puncture - illustration An emergency airway puncture may be performed if all efforts to dislodge an object from the throat have failed. The procedure involves inserting a hollow needle into the throat just below the thyroid cartilage and should only be performed by a medical professional.Emergency airway punctureillustrationCricoid cartilage - illustration The cricoid cartilage (Adam's apple) is the portion of the throat used to insert a hollow needle to assist in breathing when other attempts have failed. This procedure is also known as an emergency airway puncture or cricothyrotomy.Cricoid cartilageillustrationEmergency airway puncture - seriesPresentation Emergency airway puncture - illustration An emergency airway puncture may be performed if all efforts to dislodge an object from the throat have failed. The procedure involves inserting a hollow needle into the throat just below the thyroid cartilage and should only be performed by a medical professional.Emergency airway punctureillustrationCricoid cartilage - illustration The cricoid cartilage (Adam's apple) is the portion of the throat used to insert a hollow needle to assist in breathing when other attempts have failed. This procedure is also known as an emergency airway puncture or cricothyrotomy.Cricoid cartilageillustration Emergency airway puncture - seriesPresentation Related Information Abdominal thrusts(Injury)Breathing difficulty(Symptoms)Tracheostomy(Surgery) Review Date: 10/12/2020 Reviewed By: Jesse Borke, MD, CPE, FAAEM, FACEP, Attending Physician at Kaiser Permanente, Orange County, CA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. 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Emergency airway punctureNeedle cricothyrotomyEmergency airway puncture is the placement of a hollow needle into the airway in the throat. It is done to treat life-threatening choking. Description Emergency airway puncture is done in an emergency situation, when someone is choking and all other efforts to assist with breathing have failed.Choking Choking is when someone is having a very hard time breathing because food, a toy, or other object is blocking the throat or windpipe (airway). A cho...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article A hollow needle or tube can be inserted into the throat, just below the Adam's apple (thyroid cartilage), into the airway. The needle passes between the thyroid cartilage and the cricoid cartilage. In a hospital, before inserting the needle, a small cut may be made in the skin and the membrane between the thyroid and cricoid cartilages. Why the Procedure Is Performed A needle cricothyrotomy is an emergency procedure to relieve an airway obstruction until surgery can be done to place a breathing tube (tracheostomy).Airway obstructionBreathing difficulty may involve:Difficult breathing Uncomfortable breathingFeeling like you are not getting enough airImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article TracheostomyA tracheostomy is a surgical procedure to create an opening through the neck into the trachea (windpipe). A tube is most often placed through this o...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article If the airway blockage occurs with trauma to the head, neck, or spine, care must be taken to avoid further injury to the person. Risks Risks for this procedure include:Injury to the voice box (larynx), thyroid gland, or esophagusRisks for any surgery are:Bleeding Infection Outlook (Prognosis) How well the person does depends on the cause of the airway blockage and how quickly the person receives proper breathing support. Emergency airway puncture provides enough breathing support for only a very short period of time.Open ReferencesReferencesCattano D, Piacentini AGG, Cavallone LF. Percutaneous emergency airway access. In: Hagberg CA, Artime CA, Aziz MF, eds. Hagberg and Benumof's Airway Management. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 27.Hebert RB, Thomas D. Cricothyrotomy and percutaneous translaryngeal ventilation. In: Roberts JR, Custalow CB, Thomsen TW, eds. Roberts and Hedges' Clinical Procedures in Emergency Medicine and Acute Care. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 6.
