This site is intended for healthcare professionals

Sign in
Go to /sign-in page

You can view 5 more pages before signing in

Rapid sequence induction

Last reviewed dd mmm yyyy. Last edited dd mmm yyyy

Authoring team

Rapid sequence induction describes the quick but controlled advance from induction to maintenance in patients with a high risk of vomiting or regurgitation, e.g. in non-fasted patients, those with hiatus hernia, those with gastrointestinal disturbance and in pregnant females.

The steps are:

  • give the conscious patient a 100% oxygen mixture for 3-4 minutes before induction; this provides as much time as possible for intubation by replacing 21% oxygen in the lung with 100%
  • begin to apply intravenous induction agent
  • apply cricoid pressure - the Sellick manoeuvre
  • give a short-acting muscle relaxant intravenously
  • intubate the patient with an endotracheal tube, ensure its position and inflate to prevent regurgitation
  • release cricoid pressure
  • start volatile agent anaesthetic with oxygen

Related pages

Create an account to add page annotations

Create a free account

Add information to this page that would be handy to have on hand during a consultation, such as a web address or phone number. This information will always be displayed when you visit this page

The content herein is provided for informational purposes and does not replace the need to apply professional clinical judgement when diagnosing or treating any medical condition. A licensed medical practitioner should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions.

Connect

Copyright 2024 Oxbridge Solutions Limited, a subsidiary of OmniaMed Communications Limited. All rights reserved. Any distribution or duplication of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. Oxbridge Solutions receives funding from advertising but maintains editorial independence.