Foreign Body Airway

Obstruction
Foreign Body Airway Obstruction

Causes:
• Choking usually occurs during eating
• Meat is the most common cause of obstruction in
adults
• A variety of foods and foreign bodies have been
the cause of obstruction in children
Adult Foreign-Body Airway
Obstruction-Conscious
1 Determine if victim is
choking.
•Determine if victim is
able to speak or cough.
•Victim may be using
the “universal distress
signal of choking”
(clutching the neck
between thumb and
index finger).
•Rescuer can ask “Are
you choking?”
2 Position the patient.

•Stand behind victim

•Wrap your arms
around the victims
body.
•Grab the victims
hand and put them
down
3 Perform abdominal thrust.
•Press fist into abdomen
with quick inward and
upward thrusts.
4 Victim becomes unconscious: Position
the patient.
5 Open the airway.

•Tap or gently shake

the victim
•Rescuer shouts “ARE
YOU OK?”
6 Check for foreign body.

•Sweep deeply into

mouth with hooked
finger to remove
foreign body
7 Give rescue breaths.

•Attempt rescue
breathing.
•Try to give 2
breaths.
•If needed, reposition
the head.
•Try again.
Anatomical landmarks
•Xiphoid process
•Umbilicus
8 Perform abdominal thrusts.

•Kneel astride the victim’s thighs.

• Place the heel of one hand
the victim’s abdomen.
• Place the second
hand on top of th
Heimlich maneuver
Press into
the abdomen
with quick
upward
thrusts.
9 Repeat sequence until
successful.

Alternate these
maneuvers in rapid
sequence:
•Finger sweep
• Rescue breathing
• Abdominal
thrusts
Obstructed Airway:
Child (1 to 8 years)
Obstructed Airway:
Child (1 to 8 years)

•Perform first aid for choking in children 1 to 8

years old just as you would for adults and
older children.
•BUT do not perform blind finger sweeps.
•Instead, look down into the airway, and use
your finger to sweep the foreign body out only
if you can actually see it.
Obstructed Airway: Conscious
infant (<1 year)
1 Determine airway
obstruction.

•Observe
breathing
difficulties,
ineffective cough,
weak (or absent)
cry, dusky color.
2 Perform tongue-jaw lift.

•Do not
perform a blind
finger sweep
•Remove
foreign body
only if you can
see it.
3 Position the infant.

•Support the head and

neck with one hand.
•Place infant face down
over one arm
•Head lower than trunk
•Support with your
forearm and thigh
4 Deliver back blows.

•Deliver up to 5
back blows
forcefully between
the shoulder blades
with the heel of one
hand.
5 Position the infant.

•Support the head

•Sandwich the infant
between your
hands/arms
•Turn on his back
•Head lower than
trunk
6 Deliver chest thrusts.

•Deliver up to 5
thrusts in the mid-
sternal region, using
the same landmarks
as those for chest
compressions.
6 Infant becomes unconscious: Call
for help.

•If the infant becomes

unconscious, rescuer
shouts “HELP”
•If a second rescuer is
available, have him
activate the EMS
system.
•Position infant on
back
7 Start chest compression.
•Compress breastbone
11/2 inch or 4 cm
depth at a rate of at
least 100 compressions
per minute.
8 Patient is not breathing:
Give rescue breaths.

•Maintain an open airway.

•Give 2 gentle rescue
breaths.
•Observe chest rise
•Allow for exhalation
between breaths.
Repeat sequence until
successful.
Any CPR is Better than
No CPR