Airway obstructionAirway obstruction is a blockage of respiration in the airway that hinders the free flow of air. It can be broadly classified into being either in the upper airway (UPA) or lower airway (LOA). Airway obstruction is a life-threatening condition and requires urgent attention, and assistance when it is needed. The assistance to clear an upper airway obstruction would begin employing first-aid anti-choking techniques.
ÉtouffementChoking, also known as foreign body airway obstruction (FBAO), is a phenomenon that occurs when breathing is impeded by a blockage inside of the respiratory tract. An obstruction that prevents oxygen from entering the lungs results in oxygen deprivation. Although oxygen stored in the blood and lungs can keep a person alive for several minutes after breathing stops, choking often leads to death. Over 4,000 choking-related deaths occur in the United States every year.
Basic airway managementBasic airway management are a set of medical procedures performed in order to prevent airway obstruction and thus ensuring an open pathway between a patient's lungs and the outside world. This is accomplished by clearing or preventing obstructions of airways, often referred to as choking, cause by the tongue, the airways themselves, foreign bodies or materials from the body itself, such as blood or aspiration. Contrary to advanced airway management, minimal-invasive techniques does not rely on the use of medical equipment and can be performed without or with little training.
Fausse routevignette|250x250px|Geste universel d'étouffement par fausse route: mettre une main autour du cou. Une fausse route ou fausse-route est (dans le domaine médical et en particulier de l'ORL) un étouffement par l'inhalation involontaire de fragments d'aliments au cours de la déglutition. Ensuite, une partie du bol alimentaire (aliments liquides ou solides) est orientée vers le larynx puis les voies aériennes inférieures au lieu de passer vers l'œsophage puis l'estomac.
