Key points

This guideline is recommended for managing unanticipated difficulties in tracheal intubation.

Departments should consider implementing pre and post intubation checklists to improve safety and facilitate auditing.

Please note that this guidance is currently undergoing review by Safer Care Victoria to ensure  the content is up to date. In the meantime, we recommend that you also refer to more contemporaneous evidence where possible. 

We recommend using the Difficult Airway Society guidelines for management of unanticipated difficult intubation in adults (2015)

The images below are linked to easy-to-follow pathways of care for emergency clinicians to use when managing patients with a difficult airway.

Flowchart outlining an overview of the management of difficult intubation

Flowchart outlining the management of unanticipated difficult tracheal intubation in adults     Flowchart outlining the management of a failed intubation, failed oxygenation in the paralysed, anaesthetised patient

Get in touch

Clinical Guidance Team
Safer Care Victoria
clinicalguidance@safercare.vic.gov.au

Version history

First published: May 2015
Due for review: May 2018

Full guideline

Difficult Airway Society 2015 guidelines for management of unanticipated diffic…

Resources

Difficult Airway Society Intubation Guidelines – Follow up/airway alert
Difficult Airway Society app (android)
Emergency Care Institute NSW airway checklists

Disclaimer

Clinical guidance disclaimer
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