Non-respiratory causes for respiratory distress in MWDs can include:

• Abdominal distension (gastric dilatation and volvulus, hemoperitoneum, organomegaly, masses, other)
• Respiratory ‘look-a-likes’ (e.g., cardiac disease, circulatory shock/hypotension, clinical anemia, pain, stress/fear, metabolic acidosis, neurological disease)

A thorough history, physical assessment, and basic point-of-care testing will rule out most of the non-respiratory causes listed above. The remainder of this chapter focuses on the emergent management of MWD Upper Airway Obstruction (UAO) disorders in a theater of operations.