Hagberg and Benumof’s Airway Management, 5th Edition

By: Carin A. Hagberg, Carlos A. Artime, Michael F. Aziz 

ISBN: 9780323795388 

Publication Date: December 13, 2022 

Reviewer: Nicholas Cormier, MD (Yale School of Medicine) 

Description 

This book is a broad and well-balanced exploration of airway management, covering basic sciences, preoperative evaluation and planning, intraoperative techniques, troubleshooting, postoperative considerations, and macro considerations at a healthcare systems level. This fifth edition book is an update to the previous version, which was published in 2017, and includes new chapters on combination techniques in airway management and human factor considerations in the field. It also offers perspectives from the COVID-19 pandemic and includes new lists of key points that precede each chapter. The print copy comes with an online ebook subscription and numerous videos demonstrating airway management techniques.

Purpose 

The purpose of the book is to describe the fundamentals of airway management, including the anatomy, physics, and physiology of the airway, and how to use these factors to select and employ airway devices in appropriate clinical contexts. It also seeks to describe the macro implications of managing airways in a complex medical system and teach practitioners about different paradigms in management. The objectives are comprehensive and appropriate. The book is needed because, according to the authors, “airway management is a complex skill with multiple variables, a very short time limitation, and life-or-death consequences.” The online format adds value in making the book accessible to providers on-the-go and offering video descriptions of airway techniques. The book meets the objectives by outlining the intricacies of each technique in seven well-organized sections spanning the micro the macro considerations of airway management.

Audience 

According to the authors, the book is written for any “airway practitioner,” that is, any provider responsible for managing the airway. More specifically, the target audience includes anesthesiologists (both attendings and trainees) and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs), as well as non-anesthesia providers who manage the airway in other settings, such as emergency medicine providers, emergency medicine technicians (EMTs), and paramedics. While most of the content is intended for operating room airway management, many of the themes can be applied in off-floor settings, and the book includes chapters about airway management in pre-hospital or non-operating room settings. The editors have recruited a strong group of authors, including well-published and well-known experts in the field of airway management.

Features 

The book is organized into seven sections that cover 1) basic sciences, 2) understanding difficult airways, 3) preparing patients for airway management, 4) key techniques in airway management, 5) approaching key populations and difficult airway environments, 6) navigating airway management after intubation, and 7) macro-level considerations for airway management in complex health systems and educational environments. The book does a particularly thorough job of describing the current breadth of airway management techniques and devices, which have broadened since the publication of the previous edition. The book includes new content on combination techniques, the effect of human factors, and changes to the field, including an updated Difficult Airway Algorithm in 2022 and lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, making this edition increasingly relevant and current.

Assessment 

This book is a valuable resource for learners and experts alike. The chapters are high quality, well-organized with appropriate headings, and summarize the main points to emphasize the most salient aspects. As readers bridge the gap between learning and performing airway management in the clinical setting, the book provides vital video resources to demonstrate key techniques. The updated edition is well justified, owing to the new chapters and revised content. Each chapter begins with key concepts (in place of clinical pearls at the end), which is a sought-after format seen in other books. The book covers macro system factors in a way that other books like Principles of Airway Management, 4th Edition, Finucane et al. (Springer, 2011), and Master Techniques in Upper and Lower Airway Management, Rosenblatt and Popescu (Wolters Kluwer, 2015) do not. These considerations include conducting research in the field, educating trainees about airway management, commentary on the airway community, and effects on the field due to current events like the COVID-19 pandemic. Conversely, Principles of Airway Management provides a more comprehensive section on pediatric airway management, whereas this book contains a single, albeit well-written and organized, chapter on the topic. Master Techniques in Upper and Lower Airway Management provides a more comprehensive account of lower airway management, including a description and approach to a range of surgeries requiring lung isolation, an additional section on lung transplant, and a review of congenital lower airway concerns. It also incorporates case-based discussions to show real-life applications of principles and allows readers to assess their knowledge with questions and answers. The current book does not make ample use of cases or review questions. Much like this book, however, Master Techniques in Upper and Lower Airway Management also provides useful online content and video demonstrations.

©Doody’s Review Service, 2023, Nicholas Cormier, MD (Yale School of Medicine): Doody’s Score: 99 – 5 Stars!  

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