Awake Fibreoptic Intubation

Awake Fibreoptic Intubation (AFOI) is an essential core component of the Anaesthetist skill set. Successful AFOI relies on 3 critical elements to ensure a successful intubation.

1. An informed discussion and consent with the patient about the procedure.
2. An appropriate preparation of the airway, which may range from a pure topicalisation to a pure sedation technique or a combination of both.
3. The ability to navigate and drive the fibrescope.

This application aims to address the first 2 elements and discuss the theory behind the 3rd element. It contains a step by step based simple AFOI topicalisation technique calculator, a reference section and links to web-based videos and sites.

It is useful as a point of reference and as a teaching aid about AFOI for experienced fibreoptic endoscopists, who are likely to have developed their own techniques based on their reading, training and experiences.

Less experienced fibreoptic endoscopists will become aware of other tips & techniques that may enhance their own practice.

For the novice, we have included a step by step based simple topicalisation technique calculator, which takes into account the patients weight and route of intubation.

Specific areas covered include
 • Airway Anatomy
 • Local Anaesthetics
 • Airway Preparation
      ∙ Topicalisation
      ∙ Sedation
      ∙ Regional
 • Scope Manipulation
 • Preoperative Evaluation
 • Explanation & Consent
 • Equipment Preparation & Tube Selection.
 • Planning & Positioning
 • Troubleshooting
 • Extubation Strategies
 • Postoperative
 • Stress and Performance

The Contributors
 • Dr Pierre Bradley
 • Dr Gordon Chapman
 • Dr Keith Greenland
 • Dr Andrew Heard
 • Dr Richard Hughes
 • Dr Rishi Mehra
 • Dr Reny Segal
 • Dr Balan Sivasubramaniam
 • Dr Hock Tan

The contributors for this app are practicing public and private Anaesthestists, who have an active interest in airway management. They regularly run educational airway workshops around Australasia for ANZCA meetings, ASA meetings, NATCAT, the Airway Management Special Interest Group meetings, as well as their own courses. Contributors have not received any financial incentives for the development of this app.