- Section 1 ICU organization and management
- Section 2 Pharmacotherapeutics
- Section 3 Resuscitation
- Section 4 The respiratory system
- Part 4.1 Physiology
- Part 4.2 Respiratory monitoring
- Part 4.3 Upper airway obstruction
- Chapter 79 Upper airway obstruction in the critically ill
- Part 4.4 Airway access
- Part 4.5 Acute respiratory failure
- Part 4.6 Ventilatory support
- Part 4.7 Weaning ventilatory support
- Part 4.8 Extracorporeal support
- Part 4.9 Aspiration and inhalation
- Part 4.10 Acute respiratory distress syndrome
- Part 4.11 Airflow limitation
- Part 4.12 Respiratory acidosis and alkalosis
- Part 4.13 Pneumonia
- Part 4.14 Atelectasis and sputum retention
- Part 4.15 Pleural cavity problems
- Part 4.16 Haemoptysis
- Section 5 The cardiovascular system
- Section 6 The gastrointestinal system
- Section 7 Nutrition
- Section 8 The renal system
- Section 9 The neurological system
- Section 10 The metabolic and endocrine systems
- Section 11 The haematological system
- Section 12 The skin and connective tissue
- Section 13 Infection
- Section 14 Inflammation
- Section 15 Poisoning
- Section 16 Trauma
- Section 17 Physical disorders
- Section 18 Pain and sedation
- Section 19 General surgical and obstetric intensive care
- Section 20 Specialized intensive care
- Section 21 Recovery from critical illness
- Section 22 End-of-life care
(p. 362) Upper airway obstruction
Upper airway obstruction (UAO) from any cause should be considered a life-threatening emergency. In a conscious patient, UAO may present as respiratory distress, stridor, dyspnoea, altered voice, cyanosis, cough, decreased or absent breath sounds, wheezing, the hand-to-the-throat choking sign in the case of a foreign body, facial swelling, and distended neck veins. The cause of UAO should be identified and airway management devices must be immediately available prior to any airway manipulation CT scan, flexible bronchoscopy, and pulmonary function tests should be performed to evaluate the cause and the extent of the obstruction. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) patients are at increased risk of developing UAO. Endotracheal intubation, insertion of a supraglottic device, laser therapy, and endotracheal stents maybe life-saving
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- Section 1 ICU organization and management
- Section 2 Pharmacotherapeutics
- Section 3 Resuscitation
- Section 4 The respiratory system
- Part 4.1 Physiology
- Part 4.2 Respiratory monitoring
- Part 4.3 Upper airway obstruction
- Chapter 79 Upper airway obstruction in the critically ill
- Part 4.4 Airway access
- Part 4.5 Acute respiratory failure
- Part 4.6 Ventilatory support
- Part 4.7 Weaning ventilatory support
- Part 4.8 Extracorporeal support
- Part 4.9 Aspiration and inhalation
- Part 4.10 Acute respiratory distress syndrome
- Part 4.11 Airflow limitation
- Part 4.12 Respiratory acidosis and alkalosis
- Part 4.13 Pneumonia
- Part 4.14 Atelectasis and sputum retention
- Part 4.15 Pleural cavity problems
- Part 4.16 Haemoptysis
- Section 5 The cardiovascular system
- Section 6 The gastrointestinal system
- Section 7 Nutrition
- Section 8 The renal system
- Section 9 The neurological system
- Section 10 The metabolic and endocrine systems
- Section 11 The haematological system
- Section 12 The skin and connective tissue
- Section 13 Infection
- Section 14 Inflammation
- Section 15 Poisoning
- Section 16 Trauma
- Section 17 Physical disorders
- Section 18 Pain and sedation
- Section 19 General surgical and obstetric intensive care
- Section 20 Specialized intensive care
- Section 21 Recovery from critical illness
- Section 22 End-of-life care