Awake Endotracheal Intubation Video

It is a common misconception that you need to be completely asleep and sedated in order to be intubated. That is patently false.

With good local anesthesia, intubation can be performed on a wide-awake patient without any sedation. Take a look at this video where an anesthesiologist instructor essentially intubates himself in front of an audience... I didn't make it, but I wish I did...

This little-used technique is a very important skill to have because in certain dire situations where a patient's breathing is compromised due to upper airway swelling (whether from infection or mass), attempted sedation and intubation may result in airway loss and need for emergency tracheostomy. At worst, death may happen. In such patients where there is airway compromise, awake intubation needs to be performed.