[Medical Q&A] How to provide first aid in case of airway foreign body asphyxiation?

Planner: Chinese Medical Association

Reviewer: Guo Shubin, Chief Physician, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University

If there is a clear case of suffocation caused by foreign bodies in the airway or if the possibility of suffocation by foreign bodies is the highest, the patient should be immediately rescued by using the Heimlich abdominal thrust maneuver (hereinafter referred to as the "Heimlich maneuver"). If you are the only rescuer at the scene, you should first perform the Heimlich maneuver on the patient before calling "120" (or "999") for emergency assistance. If there are other people nearby, let another person call for help while rescuing the patient.

Specific first aid method: Stand behind the patient, put your arms around his waist, make him bend forward slightly. Make a fist with one hand and place it lightly on the patient's navel for 3 horizontal fingers; make a fist with the other hand and press the patient's abdomen upward quickly and forcefully, as if to lift the patient's body. Repeat the above steps until the foreign body is expelled.

If you are choking on a foreign body in your airway, the first aid method of Hai's first aid is: Make a fist with one hand and place it lightly on your belly button. Make a fist with the other hand and lean over to press on a hard object, such as a chair or a workbench. Use your fist to quickly squeeze from the inside out.

How to clear the airway of an unconscious patient: Let the patient lie on his back on the floor, clear the airway, and if a foreign object can be seen behind or above the throat, insert a finger and gently pull out the foreign object that is causing the blockage. Do not push the foreign object deeper into the airway, especially when doing this to a child. After the above operation, if the foreign object is still in the airway and the patient does not respond, then immediately perform CPR (this is more critical).