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Abstract The fundamental responsibility of an anesthesiologist is to maintain adequate gas exchange. In order to do this, the airway must be managed in such a way that it is almost continuously patent. Failure to maintain a patent airway for more than a few minutes results in brain damage or death. There is strong evidence that successful airway management in the perioperative environment depends on specific strategies. Suggested strategies from various subfields of medicine are now being linked together to form more comprehensive treatment plans or algorithms. The wide variety of airway devices available today may broadly be classified as infraglottic and extraglottic airway devices, which are employed to protect the airway in both elective as well as emergency situations. A surgical airway should be considered when endotracheal intubation is not an option or fails. Conclusion: Airway management includes a set of maneuvers and medical procedures performed to both prevent airway obstruction and relieve it. This ensures an open pathway for gas exchange between a patient’s lungs and the atmosphere. This is accomplished by either clearing a previously obstructed airway; or by preventing airway obstruction. |