Airway management in the emergency department: The UK emergency physician's view

Patients with critical airway problems presenting to the Emergency Department should be managed by clinicians with the skills and experience to ensure the best clinical outcome. Traditionally, airway management is seen as the domain of the anaesthetist. This is usually the case in countries where anaesthetists form part of the receiving team in the hospital. In countries where Emergency Medicine is a specialty in its own right, this clinician may not necessarily be an anaesthetist. In the United Kingdom, the debate continues as to who should manage the critically impaired airway. It is important that this is dictated by the accredited skill set of the clinician rather than the specialty they work in. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.