Although he’ll be speaking on “The Unexpected Difficult Airway: How to Avoid It and How to Manage It,” Michael A. Gibbs, MD, FACEP, said the title is actually a misnomer because all emergency department airway cases are difficult by definition. “These patients are never stable; they often have disrupted anatomy and physiology,” said Dr. Gibbs, who is professor and chair in the department of emergency medicine at Carolinas Medical Center, Carolinas HealthCare System, in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Emergency physicians must make quick decisions on how to best manage these tenuous patients. “My goal is to elevate the bar in understanding the airway assessment, the physiologic consequences of the airway management process, and the tools at our disposal to manage airways during a broad array of clinical circumstances,” said Dr. Gibbs, who will offer insight from the latest literature. “I will provide attendees with an approach to assess patients quickly, identify signs of risk, and proceed with confidence and precision.”

“It’s important to know what you’ll do if your initial plan fails, so you can move smoothly through a case without panic or chaos”
—Dr. Gibbs

The key is to assess the patient quickly and to develop a plan as well as a back-up plan. “It’s important to know what you’ll do if your initial plan fails, so you can move smoothly through a case without panic or chaos,” Dr. Gibbs said. “Focus on what decisions you have to make and the basis for those decisions.”

Dr. Gibbs, who has spoken on this topic for 20 years, will provide clinically relevant information that is immediately applicable to any practice setting. “It will be fast-paced, so strap on your seat belts!” he said.

Michael A. Gibbs, MD, FACEP

The Unexpected Difficult Airway: How to Avoid it and How to Manage it
Sunday, Oct. 29
12:30-1:20 p.m.
WCC, Room 146B