Cricothyrotomy

A cricothyrotomy is a medical procedure in which an opening is created through the cricothyroid membrane to establish a patent airway during emergency airway management. It is primarily performed as the last step in airway management algorithms when an airway cannot be established by other means such as nasal or oral tracheal intubation, in situations often called cannot-intubate-cannot-ventilate or cannot-intubate-cannot-oxygenate, commonly seen as a result of airway obstruction, angioedema, trauma, burns or abnormal anatomy.