airway obstruction, a mechanical impediment to the delivery of air to the lungs or to the absorption of oxygen in the lungs. ▪ OBSERVATIONS: If the obstruction is minor, as in sinusitis or pharyngitis, the person is able to breathe, but not normally. If the obstruction is acute, the person may grasp the neck, gasp, become cyanotic, and lose consciousness. ▪ INTERVENTIONS: Acute airway obstruction requires rapid intervention to save the person’s life. In cases of obstruction caused by a bolus of food, a collection of mucus, or a foreign body in adults and children older than 1 year of age, the object may be removed manually, by suction, or with abdominal thrusts that create an artificial cough forceful enough to clear the obstruction. Obstruction caused by an inflammatory or allergic reaction may be treated with bronchodilating drugs, corticosteroids, intubation, and administration of oxygen. An emergency tracheotomy may be required if the obstruction cannot be mechanically or pharmacologically relieved within a few minutes. ▪ PATIENT CARE CONSIDERATIONS: The patient is usually very apprehensive and may physically resist assistance. A rapid-response team should be summoned for inpatients or emergency dispatch for individuals in the community. Emergency care is begun and includes removing the obstruction, administering oxygen, and performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation, if necessary. See also aspiration.
