Airway is compromised because of trauma as it can affect brain, oropharynx, neck, and trachea, pulmonary system resulting in airway obstruction or respiratory problems. Aspiration of blood and gastric contents contribute to compromised airway. Also patients with low level of consciousness are at risk of not being able to protect their airway.
Use the jaw thrust to open the airway for a neck injury.
If there is no other chest or abdominal injury, and the patient is awake and conscious there is no need to worry about the airway
A nasopharyngeal airway, (aka NPA or a nasal trumpet), is a tube inserted into the nasal passageway of an unconscious victim to provide an open airway (when unconscious the jaw muscles relax and the tongue to falls back obstructing the airway).If your patient presents with one or more of the following, you would NOT use a nasopharyngeal airway:severe maxillofacial trauma,periorbital echymosis,retroauricular echymosis,significantly deformed nares or septum.NOTE: nasopharyngeal airways are CONTRAINDICATED in severe head or facial injuries (bruising behind the ears, raccoon eyes, blood or clear fluid leaking out of the ears or nose), patients on anticoagulants, patients with nasal infections, and patients with nasal deformities.This may indicate a brain injuryThis may indicate a brain injury.
An unconscious person cannot willfully turn themselves over. However, an unconscious patient should be placed on their side in the recovery position, provided there is no clinical evidence of a cervical spine injury that may compromise life. This position allows any vomit to clear from the patient's airway, and to avoid the tongue falling back and potentially causing an airway blockage.
Avoid moving the head. The head should be kept as you found it if there is a suspected neck injury.
This may indicate a brain injury.
Open the airway with a head-tilt-chin-lift or a jaw thrust if there is a suspected spinal injury. Then look, listen, and feel for breathing/respirations.
This may indicate a brain injury
may indicate there was an brain injury
This may indicate a brain injury
A patient prone to seizures cannot protect themselves. A seizure causes falls. Once the seizure is underway, the patient needs (primarily) the head and airway protected. Seizure patients may also inhale saliva or vomit, which can then impair breathing.
yes