Abstract
Difficult airways and severe airway-related adverse events occur much more commonly in emergency departments and ICUs than in operating rooms. Thus, rescue ventilation strategies are indispensable in emergency departments and ICUs. Rescue ventilation techniques in time-sensitive situations must be fast, simple and easy to perform. Considering this situation, supraglottic airway devices are near-ideal instruments. Using a supraglottic airway device is a common first-line rescue ventilation strategy in difficult airway management (DAM) algorithms advocated by several professional anesthesiology societies. Furthermore, supraglottic airway devices are also proving to be useful for DAM in emergency departments and ICUs, and evidence supporting their implementation in such environments is increasing. However, supraglottic airway devices are much less likely to be available in Japanese emergency medical services and ICUs than in other countries. Immediate access to appropriate DAM devices, including supraglottic airways, is essential to ensure safety. The aim of this study was to reappraise the role of supraglottic airway devices in the field of emergency and critical care medicine.
