Suction Assisted Laryngoscopy and Airway Decontamination (SALAD): A technique for improved emergency airway management

Abstract

Emergency airway management is often complicated by the presence of blood, emesis or other contaminants in the airway. Traditional airway management education has lacked task-specific training focused on mitigating massive airway contamination. The Suction Assisted Laryngoscopy and Airway Decontamination (SALAD) technique was developed in order to address the problem of massive airway contamination both in simulation training and in vivo. We review the evidence describing the dangers associated with airway contamination, and describe the SALAD technique in detail.

Keywords

• Airway management
• Emergency medicine
• Intensive care
• Anesthesia resuscitation