Airway

Airway Obstructions
Obstructions

In order for oxygen from air to flow to & from lungs, the upper
airway must be open. Upper airway obstructions often occur
because:

The tongue falls back into his

throat (unconscious).
Foreign bodies become lodged in the throat usually
while eating.
Choking on food (usually meat) is related to
swallowing large pieces of poorly chewed food.
The contents of the stomach are regurgitated.
Blood clots as a result of head and facial injuries.

Airway
Airway Obstructions
Obstructions
Causes

Partial airway obstruction.

The victim may still have an air exchange.
can cough forcefully, though he may be
wheezing between coughs. A poor air exchange
may be indicated by weak coughing with a high
pitched noise between coughs.

Airway
Airway Obstructions
Obstructions
Causes

Complete airway obstruction.

A complete obstruction (no air exchange) is
indicated if the victim cannot speak, breathe, or
cough at all. He may be clutching his neck and
moving erratically. In an unconscious victim, a
complete obstruction is also indicated if after
opening his airway you cannot ventilate him.

Choking
Choking
Choking occurs when a foreign object
becomes lodged in the throat or windpipe,
blocking the flow of air mostly.
Once an obstructed airway occurs, the brain
will develop an oxygen deficiency resulting
in unconsciousness. Death will follow
rapidly if breathing is not promptly
restored.

Choking
Choking

The universal sign for choking is hands

clutched to the throat. If the person
doesn't give the signal, look for these
indications:
Inability to talk
Difficulty breathing or noisy
breathing
Inability to cough forcefully
Skin, lips and nails turning blue
Loss of consciousness

Choking
Choking

If the victim can speak, encourage

him to cough( good air exchange).
If he is able to cough
effectively, DO NOT interfere.
If there is poor air exchange or no breathing,
CALL FOR HELP and immediately deliver
manual thrusts.
The manual thrust
abdominal thrust (or Heimlich maneuver).
The chest thrust is used only in pregnancy,
obese victims, an abdominal wounds.

Choking
Choking

The Red Cross recommends a "five-and-five" approach

to delivering first aid:
Deliver 5 back blows between the person's shoulder
blades with the heel of your hand.
Perform 5 abdominal thrusts.
Alternate between 5 back blows and 5 abdominal
thrusts until the blockage is dislodged.
If you're the only rescuer, perform back blows and
abdominal thrusts before calling 199 for help.
If another person is available, have that person call
for help while you perform first aid.

abdominal
abdominalthrusts
thrusts(Heimlich
(Heimlichmaneuver)
maneuver)

abdominal
abdominalthrusts
thrusts(Heimlich
(Heimlichmaneuver)
maneuver)
Stand behind the person. Wrap your arms around the
waist. Tip the person forward slightly.
Make a fist with one hand. Position the thumb side of
your fist against the casualtys abdomen below the tip of
the ribcage.
Grasp the fist with the other hand. Press hard into the
abdomen with a quick, upward thrust as if trying to
lift the person up.
Perform a total of 5 abdominal thrusts, if needed. If the
airway not open, repeat the "five-and-five" cycle.
Continue performing abdominal thrusts until the
obstruction is expelled or he becomes unresponsive

abdominal
abdominalthrusts
thrusts(Heimlich
(Heimlichmaneuver)
maneuver)
If you're alone and choking, you'll be unable to
effectively deliver back blows to yourself.
However, you can still perform abdominal
thrusts to dislodge the item.

Place a fist slightly above your

navel.
Grasp your fist with the other
hand and bend over a hard
surface a countertop or chair
will do.
thrust your fist inward and
upward.

chest
chest thrusts
thrusts
useful for a pregnant woman or obese person, or when
the victim abdominal wound:
Apply chest thrusts with victim sitting or standing.
Stand behind the victim and wrap your arms
around his/ her chest with your arms under his
axilla.
Make a fist with one hand and place the thumb
side of the fist in the middle of the chest bones.
Proceed as with the Heimlich maneuver, pressing
hard into the chest, with a quick thrust.
Repeat until the food or other blockage is
dislodged or the person becomes unconscious.

chest
chest thrusts
thrusts

Clearing
Clearingthe
theairway
airwayof
ofan
anunconscious
unconscious
person:
person:

Lower the person on his or

her back on the floor.
If there's a visible blockage at
the back of the throat or high
in the throat, reach a finger
into the mouth and sweep out
the cause of the blockage.
Be careful not to push the
food or object deeper into the
airway, which can happen
easily in young children.

Clearing
Clearingthe
theairway
airwayof
ofan
anunconscious
unconscious
person:
person:

Begin cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) if the
object remains lodged and
the person doesn't respond
after you take the above
measures.
The chest compressions
used in CPR may dislodge
the object. Remember to
recheck the mouth
periodically.

Clearing
Clearingthe
theairway
airwayof
ofaachoking
chokinginfant
infant
younger
youngerthan
thanage
age11
Assume a seated position and hold
the infant facedown on your
forearm, which is resting on your
thigh.
Thump the infant gently but
firmly five times on the middle
of the back using the heel of your
hand. The combination of
gravity and the back blows
should release the blocking
object.

Clearing
Clearingthe
theairway
airwayof
ofaachoking
choking
infant
infantyounger
youngerthan
thanage
age11
Hold the infant face up on your forearm
with the head lower than the trunk if the
above doesn't work. Using two fingers
placed at the center of the infant's
breastbone, give five quick chest
compressions.
Repeat the back blows and chest thrusts
if breathing doesn't resume. Call for
emergency medical help.
Begin infant CPR if one of these
techniques opens the airway but the
infant doesn't resume breathing.

Clearing
Clearingthe
theairway
airwayof
ofaachoking
choking
infant
infantyounger
youngerthan
thanage
age11
lay the infant facedown on
your forearm. Deliver five
blows to the back between
shoulder blades.

If infant is not responding,

use 2 fingers to deliver
5 chest thrusts to middle
of breastbone just below
level of nipples.