Emergency airway puncture

Alternative Names: Needle cricothyrotomy

Emergency airway puncture is the placement of a hollow needle through the throat into the airway. It is done to treat life-threatening choking.

Description of Procedure

Emergency airway puncture is done in an emergency situation, when someone is choking and all other efforts to assist with breathing have failed.

• A hollow needle or tube can be inserted into the throat, just below the Adam's apple (cricoid cartilage), into the airway.
• In a hospital, a small cut in the skin is made before inserting the needle.

Risks of Emergency airway puncture

Risks for this procedure include:

• Injury to the voice box (larynx), thyroid gland, or esophagus

Risks for any surgery are:

• Bleeding
• Infection

Emergency airway puncture	Cricoid cartilage	Emergency airway puncture - series

Review Date: 7/16/2011
Reviewed By: Jacob L. Heller, MD, MHA, Emergency Medicine, Virginia Mason Medical Center, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

_{Do not use this information for medical emergencies - Call 911. This information should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should always be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other websites do not constitute endorsements and are provided for information only. Any duplication or distribution of this information is strictly prohibited.
Copyright 2011 A.D.A.M., Inc.}