A blind insertion airway device (BIAD or blind insertion device) is a

medical device A medical device is any device intended to be used for medical purposes. Significant potential for hazards are inherent when using a device for medical purposes and thus medical devices must be proved safe and effective with reasonable assura ...

used for

airway management Airway management includes a set of maneuvers and medical procedures performed to prevent and relieve an airway obstruction. This ensures an open pathway for gas exchange between a patient's lungs and the atmosphere. This is accomplished by either ...

that ensures an open pathway between a patient's

lungs The lungs are the primary organs of the respiratory system in many animals, including humans. In mammals and most other tetrapods, two lungs are located near the backbone on either side of the heart. Their function in the respiratory syste ...

and the outside world, as well as reducing the risk of aspiration, which can be placed without visualization of the

glottis The glottis (: glottises or glottides) is the opening between the vocal folds (the rima glottidis). The glottis is crucial in producing sound from the vocal folds. Etymology From Ancient Greek ''γλωττίς'' (glōttís), derived from ''γ ...

. Blind insertion airway devices are often used in the

pre-hospital Emergency medical services (EMS), also known as ambulance services, pre-hospital care or paramedic services, are emergency services that provide urgent pre-hospital treatment and stabilisation for serious illness and injuries and transport to d ...

and emergency setting. While the term blind insertion airway device does not refer to an

endotracheal tube A tracheal tube is a catheter that is inserted into the trachea for the primary purpose of establishing and maintaining a patent airway and to ensure the adequate exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide. Many different types of tracheal tubes are a ...

, it too can also be blindly inserted in certain circumstances, or inserted using a BIAD as a conduit for an endotracheal tube, or by using a bougie or airway exchange

catheter In medicine, a catheter ( ) is a thin tubing (material), tube made from medical grade materials serving a broad range of functions. Catheters are medical devices that can be inserted in the body to treat diseases or perform a surgical procedure. ...

. Blind insertion devices have a number of limitations compared to endotracheal intubation; firstly, the risk of aspiration is higher when using a blind insertion device. Examples of blind insertion airway devices are: *

Combitube The Combitube—also known as the esophageal tracheal airway or esophageal tracheal double-lumen airway—is a blind insertion airway device (BIAD) used in the pre-hospital and emergency setting. It is designed to provide an airway to facilitate ...

* EasyTube *

Laryngeal tube The laryngeal tube (also known as the King LT)
, ''University of Toronto, Department of Anesthesia'' Website retrieved ...

Laryngeal mask airway A laryngeal mask airway (LMA), also known as laryngeal mask, is a medical device that keeps a patient's airway open during anaesthesia or while they are unconscious. It is a type of supraglottic airway device. They are most commonly used by a ...

(a supraglottic airway device) *

Nasopharyngeal airway In medicine, a nasopharyngeal airway (NPA), nasal trumpet (because of its flared end), or nose hose, is a type of ''airway adjunct'', a tube that is designed to be inserted through the nasal passage down into the posterior pharynx to secure an ...

Oropharyngeal airway An oropharyngeal airway (also known as an oral airway, OPA or Guedel pattern airway) is a medical device called an ''airway adjunct'' used in airway management to maintain or open a patient's airway. It does this by preventing the tongue from cov ...

Additional images

Image:Combitube.JPG, A

combitube The Combitube—also known as the esophageal tracheal airway or esophageal tracheal double-lumen airway—is a blind insertion airway device (BIAD) used in the pre-hospital and emergency setting. It is designed to provide an airway to facilitate ...

. Image:Laryngeal Tube.JPG, A

laryngeal tube The laryngeal tube (also known as the King LT)
, ''University of Toronto, Department of Anesthesia'' Website retrieved ...

Image:Laryngeal mask 100.jpg, A laryngeal mask. Image:Oral Airway (4) Adult Large.JPG,

Image:A Rüsch Wirupren Nasopharyngeal Airway displayed in the size 28 Ch.jpg, Nasopharyngeal Airway

References

Medical equipment Anesthetic equipment {{medical-equipment-stub