Definition of Emergency airway puncture:

Emergency airway puncture is the placement of a hollow needle through the throat into the airway. 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.

• A hollow needle or tube can be inserted into the throat, just below the Adam's apple (cricoid cartilage), into the airway.
• In a hospital, a small cut in the skin is made before inserting the needle.

Why the Procedure Is Performed:

A cricothyrotomy is an emergency procedure to relieve an airway obstruction until surgery can be done to place a breathing tube (tracheostomy).

Risks:

Risks for this procedure include:

• Injury to the voice box (larynx), thyroid gland, or esophagus

Risks 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.

See: Tracheostomy