Big data, small airways, big problems

Some of the earliest airway management interventions in humans occurred in neonates in the 18^th century. Small tubes were passed into the oropharynx of newborn children to support ventilation. Later in that century, the Royal Humane Society was developed in the United Kingdom to address adult drowning, and the first approaches to tracheal intubation were described. Airway management expanded from life-saving interventions such as these to the operating theatre to support surgical procedures with required ventilation. In the operating theatre, the focus of new approaches to airway management has been on adults. Unfortunately, this has left the paediatric provider with adult tools and techniques that have simply been downsized for paediatric airway management. Advancing our knowledge regarding the optimal airway management techniques in children is challenging because of the rare occurrence of difficult events and challenges surrounding enrolling children in clinical trials.

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