Awake Intubation and Airway Blocks

Abstract

Abstract Awake fiberoptic intubation (a more accurate term would be flexible endoscopic intubation) is still considered the gold standard and the ultimate backup approach for difficult airway management. To perform the procedure successfully and minimize patient discomfort, a number of methods have been utilized to provide anesthesia for the upper airway. Each of them has its own advantages and disadvantages. It is important for an anesthesiologist to understand these techniques and to be able to choose and perform them properly. In this chapter, the innervation of the upper airway is described, and both topical and regional anesthesia techniques are discussed in detail.