- Recall the DOPES mnemonic for any intubated or trach’d patient in distress
- Prepare your airway adjuncts when replacing a trach including an elastic bougie, size 6 endotracheal tube, and fiberoptic scope
- Any late trach bleed should be considered to be a tracheo-innominate fistula (TIF) until proven otherwise. TIFs are often preceded by a sentinel bleed which should not be ignored!
- Any massive trach bleed should be managed by either hyperinflation of the trach cuff or by manual compression of the tracheo-inomminate fistula.