BASIC EMERGENCY PROCEDURE: CHOKING (OBSTRUCTION TO THE AIRWAY)

Mar 24, 2009

1) Choking (obstruction to the airway)

If the victim cannot breathe and is unable to speak, there is most likely a complete blockage of the airway that must be removed quickly to prevent suffocation. You should have someone else (if you are not alone with the victim) call for an ambulance while you perform the Heimlich maneuver on the victim. The Heimlich maneuver produces an artificial cough to help an individual who is choking force the obstructing object out of the trachea. Here are the steps involved in the Heimlich maneuver:

Conscious choking victim

A) Stand behind the victim, putting your arms around his or her waist. Place your fist with the thumb side against the victim’s stomach just above the navel and below the ribs and breastbone.

B) Hold your fist with your other hand and give several quick, forceful, upward and inward thrusts into the abdomen until the obstruction is expelled. Dn not squeeze the victim’s ribs with your arms— be sure to use only your fist.

C) You may have to do six to ten thrusts before the victim coughs up the object or becomes unconscious.

D) If you are home alone and you are choking, give yourself abdominal thrusts by pressing your abdomen onto the back of a chair or some other solid object.

Unconscious choking victim

A) If the person who is choking is or becomes unconscious, you should place the heel of one hand on the victim’s stomach, just above the navel and below the ribs. Place your free hand on top of your other hand. Keeping your elbows straight, give several quick, forceful, downward and forward thrusts toward the head.

B) If the above maneuver fails, you should attempt to remove the obstruction with your index finger. Hold the victim’s lower jaw and tongue between the thumb and fingers of one hand and lift up the jaw. Look for anything that may be obstructing the airway. With the victim’s face up, insert your index finger down inside the cheek toward the base of the tongue. Using a “sweeping” motion, move your finger across the back of the victim’s throat to dislodge any obstruction. Be careful you do not push the obstruction further down the victim’s throat.

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