What is the primary cause of airway obstruction in unconscious patients?

What is the primary cause of airway obstruction in unconscious patients?

A relaxed tongue is the most common cause of upper airway obstruction in patients who are unconscious or who have suffered spinal cord or other neurological injuries. The tongue may relax into the airway, causing an obstruction. In some cases, other injuries complicate this phenomenon.

What is the most common cause of obstructed airway?

The tongue is the most common cause of upper airway obstruction, a situation seen most often in patients who are comatose or who have suffered cardiopulmonary arrest. Other common causes of upper airway obstruction include edema of the oropharynx and larynx, trauma, foreign body, and infection.

What is the treatment for severe airway obstruction?

Epinephrine. Administered via a simple injection, this medicine can be used to treat airway swelling due to an allergic reaction. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Involving a combination of chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing, CPR can be used to help someone who is not breathing.

What are signs of severe airway obstruction?

What are the symptoms of airway obstruction?

• choking or gagging.
• sudden violent coughing.
• vomiting.
• noisy breathing or wheezing.
• struggling to breathe.
• turning blue.

Can mucus block your airway?

Excessive mucus or phlegm build-up can block narrowed air passages, making it difficult for you to breathe. Increased mucus can also lead to infections, such as pneumonia. Luckily, a variety of treatment options, including controlled coughing, medications, and chest physiotherapy, can help.

Why is there an increase in upper airway obstruction?

The incidence of malignancy and related obstruction of the upper airway has increased due in part to tobacco use and exposure to modern environmental toxins. It is estimated that 20% to 30% of lung cancer patients present with symptomatic airway obstruction.

How does an extrathoracic airway obstruction affect the inspiratory flow?

A variable extrathoracic airway obstruction increases the turbulence of inspiratory flow, and intraluminal pressure falls markedly below atmospheric pressure. This leads to partial collapse of an already narrowed airway and a plateau in the inspiratory flow loop ( Fig. 49-5A,B ) .

Is there a difficulty in diagnosing extrathoracic airways obstruction?

Indeed, there is usually no difficulty in the diagnosis of patients with extrathoracic airway obstruction, when the forced inspired volume in one second (FIV1), peak inspiratory flow, or maximum mid-inspiratory flow recorded from a flow volume curve is reduced.

When to know if you have an intrathoracic obstruction of the trachea?

Conversely such clues do not exist to aid recognition of variable intrathoracic obstruction of the trachea, carina, or main bronchi, when the flow volume curve simply shows expiratory airflow obstruction and the physical signs are similar to those of asthma or chronic obstructive bronchitis – namely, an expiratory wheeze.