Here’s another video of me practicing in AIT; an Emergency Chricothyroidotomy or “Cric”. Since then I have learned a much more efficient method of insertion that makes use of the ‘Bougie’ that is included in all of our Cric kits.
For those that are not aware of this procedure here’s the thick of it. Under the circumstance that a casualties airway becomes significantly compromised to a point that intubation or other airway adjuncts will not work to maintain their airway (such as maxillofacial trauma, inhalation burns, etc) then your mouth and throat are of no use to me or you, until we can get you to the next echelon of care. You however of course will not make it to the next level of care if you cannot breath. So what I essentially do is cut a hole creating you a new airway into your trachea so that air will enter from this lower point and not have to go through your significantly blocked upper airway.