How to treat and prevent respiratory obstructions

• April 24, 2024

There are different risk situations for obstruction of the airways, among which stand out: the intake of food or foreign objects; bronchoaspiration, which is when the patient breathes secretions such as blood or vomit; It can also be caused by chronic diseases such as anaphylaxis (due to allergies) or inflammatory processes. All these situations can totally or partially close the airway and prevent the proper passage of air, thus causing a respiratory arrest.

However, only obstruction of the upper airway (ie, throat or larynx and trachea), by solid objects such as food or foreign bodies, can be resolved by the airway clearance maneuver called Heimlich. While in the case of the lower airway (ie small and large caliber bronchi) for chronic diseases, bronchoaspiration, anaphylaxis, require specialized medical care in the hospital.

The respiratory arrest is the sudden interruption of inattention and exhalation, which can produce cardiac arrest in a few minutes due to the relationship between the two systems. A person who does not receive oxygen for 4 to 6 minutes will have neurological damage.

Treatment

For your treatment you must DEFINE THE CAUSE

The emergency treatment consists of:

• Define the cause of the obstruction and if it is total (no air enters) or partial (the person can emit some sounds, therefore a little air enters),
• Give confidence to the patient (indicate that we are going to help him), if he is not unconscious.
• Activate the Emergency System
• In case the obstruction is partial only ask that cough until the object leaves.
• If the obstruction is total, the airway unblocking maneuver should be applied.
• Do not abandon attention until emergency bodies arrive.

Prevention

To PREVENT this problem it is important:

• Do not give or let children play with objects such as buttons, seeds, balloons or coins.
• Do not allow children to play when they are eating.
• Do not give children food with skin or bones.
• Prevent children from falling asleep while they are eating candy or chewing gum.
• Do not cover the faces of children or leave heavy blankets or large pillows within reach.
• And in case of adults, Do not hold in the mouth items that can easily be swallowed.

Video Medicine: "Common Pediatric Respiratory Problems" by Monica Kleinman, MD for OPENPediatrics (April 2024).