Published: January 2007. Next review: 2023.
Hypoxia and airway compromise are recognised to be significant contributing factors in up to 34% of deaths pre-hospital. Early recognition and appropriate management of the injured patient’s airway and ventilation will avoid preventable deaths from airway problems after trauma.
![](https://aci.health.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/image/0007/195136/Airway_CPG_Cover_thumbnail.png)
This guideline is intended for use by all clinicians involved in airway management of adult trauma patients presenting to the emergency department. It present practical, evidence-based guidelines for airway management in common scenarios of trauma resuscitation.
The guideline includes algorithms, summary, discussions, tables of evidence, appendices and references.
Author: Dr Joe Ollerton, Trauma Fellow, Liverpool Hospital
Download the guideline (PDF 1.3 MB)
Supporting resources
These are extracts from the guideline.
Summary guideline (PDF 1.1 MB) – contains algorithms and guidelines.
Algorithm 1 (PDF 512.1 KB) – A3 colour algorithm of standard airway management.
Algorithm 2 (PDF 453.9 KB) – A3 colour algorithm of difficult airway management.
Clinical questions
The development of the guideline was based on assessing these clinical questions.
- In the patient with potential cervical spine injury requiring emergency intubation in the resuscitation room, what is the optimal method of achieving a secure airway?
- In adults with severe head injury (Glasgow Coma Score ≤8) undergoing emergency intubation in the emergency department, what are the optimal induction agents to minimise secondary brain injury?
- In hypotensive trauma adults requiring emergency intubation in the emergency department, what is the optimal induction technique to minimise further haemodynamic instability?
- In the trauma adult requiring emergency control of the airway, what is the best treatment algorithm to follow for management of a 'difficult airway'?