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A morbidly obese patient recently died in a Boston-area hospital after becoming hypoxic between the OR and PACU. The incident provided a startling reminder for those of us charged with establishing and maintaining the airway that losing the airway and risking irreversible hypoxia are real and constant threats to every anesthesia provider. During anesthesia care, all protocols are secondary to airway concerns. An airway becomes difficult when a conventionally trained anesthesia provider experiences difficulty with facemask ventilation, tracheal intubation or both. Here are tips to help avoid potential problems.
