AIRWAY

- Assess patency of the patient's airway; consider foreign bodies unique to drowning injuries such as sand or seaweed and perform finger sweep if there is a visible obstruction.
- If the patient is unconscious and unable to maintain their own airway, place the patient in the recovery position (lateral recumbent) to minimize risk of aspiration. 10-11
- In the obtunded patient, consider early intubation if an expert in airway management is available. Definitive airway is required in patients with respiratory arrest as soon as feasible. Continued use of BVM will increase risk of emesis. If a unit is trained for the capability, intubation will decrease risk of aspiration if it is available in the pre-hospital environment.
- Due to concern for increased pulmonary airway pressures required for ventilation of the drowning patient, the use of supraglottic airways (e.g., laryngeal mask airways) is discouraged and maintaining a seal may be ineffective.10