Which step is performed first in airway management with intubation?

Which step is performed first in airway management with intubation?

• A. Assess for Trismus
• B. Prepare BVM, NPA, OPA, suction
• C. Place and secure device
• D. Ventilate and assess by capnography, breath sounds, chest rise and fall, skin signs and SpO2

Answer: (A)

Assessing trismus is the first step because how wide the patient can open their mouth directly determines whether standard laryngoscopic intubation is feasible. If mouth opening is limited, you know early that a regular approach may be difficult or impossible, and you can shift to an alternate airway plan before wasting time on a technique that won’t work. Once you’ve evaluated mouth opening, you prepare the airway with the tools you’ll need for the chosen plan—bag-valve mask for preoxygenation and ventilation, nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal airway adjuncts as appropriate, suction to clear secretions or blood, and any other necessary equipment. This preparation happens promptly so you’re ready to proceed without delay once a decision is made. After assessment and preparation, you place and secure the airway device using the plan that fits the patient’s airway, and then you ventilate and verify placement with capnography, breath sounds, chest rise and fall, skin signs, and SpO2 to confirm effective ventilation and correct tube position.

Assessing trismus is the first step because how wide the patient can open their mouth directly determines whether standard laryngoscopic intubation is feasible. If mouth opening is limited, you know early that a regular approach may be difficult or impossible, and you can shift to an alternate airway plan before wasting time on a technique that won’t work.

Once you’ve evaluated mouth opening, you prepare the airway with the tools you’ll need for the chosen plan—bag-valve mask for preoxygenation and ventilation, nasopharyngeal or oropharyngeal airway adjuncts as appropriate, suction to clear secretions or blood, and any other necessary equipment. This preparation happens promptly so you’re ready to proceed without delay once a decision is made.

After assessment and preparation, you place and secure the airway device using the plan that fits the patient’s airway, and then you ventilate and verify placement with capnography, breath sounds, chest rise and fall, skin signs, and SpO2 to confirm effective ventilation and correct tube position.