Safety recommendation
HSSIB recommends that the Royal College of Anaesthetists works with the Difficult Airway Society and other key stakeholders to produce a framework on the management of a potentially ‘life threatening’ difficult airway for people with a known difficult airway who require advanced airway management. This work should consider the adoption of a common language which defines and explains principles for treating people with a known potentially ‘life threatening’ difficult airway who require advanced airway management. This could optimise the chances of survival for people who experience a life-threatening airway emergency.
Response:
The airway management of patients with a known difficult airway is complex and does not lend itself to the style of guidance that has been developed by the Difficult Airway Society for patients with an unknown difficult airway and adopted throughout UK anaesthetic practice.
The scope of any framework therefore needs to be carefully defined in order to ensure that it has the maximum impact to improve airway management practice and thus improve outcomes for patients with a known difficult airway. The Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA), the Association of Anaesthetists and the Difficult Airway Society (DAS) are working together to scope a framework that will maximise impact within our resource constraints as charities.
Action planned to deliver safety recommendation:
- Undertake a scoping exercise for a framework for the airway management of patients with a known difficult airway, by November 2024.
Response received on 18 April 2024.