Airway Management in Low Resource Settings

Emergency airway management in resource limited setting

“…Emergency airway management in low-resource countries is marked with challenges, each profoundly impacting healthcare delivery within these regions. These regions frequently lack access to advanced medical equipment for effective airway management [ 3 ]. Vital apparatuses, such as endotracheal tubes, laryngoscopes, ventilators, and monitoring devices, are often in short supply or absent—the shortage of such equipment results in delayed and suboptimal interventions during critical airway-related medical emergencies.…”

“…However, when faced with resource-limited settings defined as countries with a GNI per capita of $1,135 or less for low-income countries and a range of $1,136 to $4,465 for lower-middle-income countries [ 1 ]. Making up approximately 63% of world countries [ 2 ], these settings are often characterised by a shortage of conventional tools and expertise with implications for healthcare providers in providing effective airway management during emergencies [ 3 ]. Emergency airway management is a critical life-saving procedure for patients experiencing various acute conditions, where swiftly and effectively securing the airway takes precedence [ 4 ].…”

“…Intriguingly, endotracheal intubation in the emergency room carries a 12% complication risk, with adverse outcomes ranging from oesophagal intubation and mainstem intubation to hypotension and cardiac arrest [ 3 ].…”