Guedel pattern airway
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A Guedel Pattern Airway is a question-mark-shaped tube designed to open a patient's airway, keep his tongue out of his throat.
It is important to choose the right size; the size of the Guedel airway is the length between the corner of the mouth and the ear lobe. It is inserted into the patient's mouth upward1 while holding the tongue, and rotated when introduced to point downward.
The Guedel airway does not remove the need for the recovery position: it does not prevent suffocation by liquids (blood, saliva, food, cerebrospinal fluid) or the closing of the glottis. But it facilitates the insufflations (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) for patients with a thick tongue. It is also used in addition to intubation, to avoid the collapse of the endotracheal tube.
It can only be used on an unconscious (Glasgow score < 5) or sedated patient; patients regaining cousciousness will recover their coughing reflex and expel the (then useless) airway.
The mains risks of its use are:
- patient "not enough" unconscious or sedated may vomit;
- when it is too large, it can close the glottis and thus close the airways;
- a misuse can provoke a bleeding.
- Notes
- Note 1: "upward" means "the inside end upward"; the curvature is downward
