Chapter 9 - Facemasks and supraglottic airway devices

Summary

Facemask anaesthesia may be suitable for airway maintenance for short anaesthetic procedures. Many anaesthesia facemasks are delivered with a multipronged o-ring around the collar of the connector. Maintenance of the patient's airway may be facilitated by use of an oropharyngeal or nasopharyngeal airway. Supraglottic airway devices (SADs) have several roles including anaesthesia, airway rescue after failed intubation or out of hospital use during cardiopulmonary resuscitation and as conduits to assist tracheal intubation. There are several classifications of SADs with most based on device anatomy and positioning. First generation SADs (e.g., classic laryngeal mask airway (cLMA)) are simply airway tubes, with no specific design features to improve safety (or ventilation efficacy). Second generation SADs include proseal laryngeal mask airway, the laryngeal tube suction II, LMA Supreme, streamlined liner of the pharynx airway (SLIPA) and combitube and easytubes. SADs are established methods for management of the difficult airway.