What is an oropharyngeal tube used for?

An oropharyngeal airway (also known as an oral airway, OPA or Guedel pattern airway) is a medical device called an airway adjunct used to maintain or open a patient’s airway. It does this by preventing the tongue from covering the epiglottis, which could prevent the person from breathing.

What is an oropharyngeal?

Listen to pronunciation. (OR-oh-FAYR-inx) The part of the throat at the back of the mouth behind the oral cavity. It includes the back third of the tongue, the soft palate, the side and back walls of the throat, and the tonsils.

When are oropharyngeal airways used?

Use an oropharyngeal airway only if the patient is unconscious or minimally responsive because it may stimulate gagging, which poses a risk of aspiration. Nasopharyngeal airways are preferred for obtunded patients with intact gag reflexes.

Is an oropharyngeal airway the same as intubation?

Oropharyngeal airway devices are often used as “bite blocks” after a patient’s trachea has been intubated, in order to prevent the clenching of the teeth on the endotracheal tube. This maneuver may, however, be hazardous in children between 5 and 10 years of age with loose deciduous teeth.

Why would you not use a NPA?

NPAs should not be used on patients who have nasal fractures or an actively bleeding nose. In some cases, slight bleeding may occur when you insert the airway, which can be suctioned or wiped away.

What causes oropharyngeal?

The leading risk factors for developing oropharyngeal cancer are smoking tobacco, heavy alcohol consumption, and HPV infection, especially a specific type known as HPV-16.

How do I know what size oropharyngeal airway to get?

The OPA is sized by measuring from the center of the mouth to the angle of the jaw, or from the corner of the mouth to the earlobe.

Why is an oropharyngeal airway inserted upside down?

An airway that is too large may reach the laryngeal inlet and result in trauma or laryngeal hyperactivity and laryngospasm. It is common practice by some clinicians to insert an oropharyngeal airway device upside down, or convex to the natural curvature of the tongue and then to rotate the airway 180 degrees.

How do you choose an oropharyngeal airway?

Select the proper size airway by measuring from the tip of the patient’s earlobe to the tip of the patient’s nose. The diameter of the airway should be the largest that will fit. To determine this, select the size that approximates the diameter of the patient’s little finger.

How do you intubate a patient?

The patient’s mouth is gently opened and using a lighted instrument to keep the tongue out of the way and to light the throat, the tube is gently guided into the throat and advanced into the airway. There is a small balloon around the tube that is inflated to hold the tube in place and to keep air from escaping.

What are the advantages of intubation?

The Pros of Intubation Allowing ventilation with 100 percent oxygen. Eliminating mask-to-face seal. Facilitating tracheal suctioning. Preventing gastric distention.

How to size oropharyngeal airway?

Determine the appropriate size of the oropharyngeal airway. Hold the airway beside the patient’s cheek with the flange at the corner of the mouth. The tip of an appropriately sized airway should just reach the angle of the mandibular ramus.

How do you measure an oral airway?

To determine the correct size for a patient, measure the oropharyngeal airway from the corner of the patient’s mouth to the angle of the jaw. When inserting an oral airway, the curved end should initially point toward the cheek and be placed over the tongue.

What is oral airway placement?

Oral Airway Insertion. Definition. Oral airway insertion is a technique used for keeping the airway open in an unconscious person. It is also called placing an oropharyngeal airway .