Acute tracheostomy obstruction

Educational use only. Not clinically reviewed

64-year-old man for Tracheostomy patency recognition and reassessment. About 7 simulated minutes.

What you will practise

Reconcile the authored tracheostomy-versus-laryngectomy anatomy, patent native upper airway, pulse, spontaneous breathing, and converging patency findings.
Record immediate resuscitation and airway-expert help plus team-delivered oxygen to both face and tracheostomy.
Review the fixed qualified pathway for this declared cuffless dual-cannula device.
Record experienced-team removal of the obstructed inner cannula while the outer tracheostomy tube remains in place.
After elapsed time, review the fixed whole-person, airflow, oxygenation, and waveform response.
After another elapsed interval, hand off the active airway state, recurrence risk, humidification and secretion work, emergency plan, equipment readiness, and named owners.

Review and sources

Not clinically reviewed. No clinician has signed this scenario.

National Tracheostomy Safety Project. Emergency tracheostomy management: patent upper airway (GREEN algorithm). Review date 2024-01-01.
McGrath BA, Bates L, Atkinson D, Moore JA. Multidisciplinary guidelines for the management of tracheostomy and laryngectomy airway emergencies. Anaesthesia. 2012;67:1025-1041. PMID 22731935. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2044.2012.07217.x.
Mussa CC, Gomaa D, Rowley DD, et al. AARC clinical practice guideline: management of adult patients with tracheostomy in the acute care setting. Respir Care. 2021;66:156-169. PMID 32962998. doi:10.4187/respcare.08206.

Open Sim Lab is an educational simulator, not for clinical use. It is not a clinical decision-support tool, not a dosing calculator, and is not validated for any decision affecting a real patient.