Fig. 1

Overview of the equipment and time sequence of the two techniques percutaneous cricothyroidotomy and surgical cricothyroidotomy. The percutaneous cricothyroidotomy equipment is used for (a) cannulation of cricothyroid membrane, after vertical incision by scalpel (b) followed by guidewire through cricothyroid membrane and subsequent cannula removal from guidewire (c), onto which the Melker cricothyrotomy tube with curved dilator is slid (d) to end with the cricothyrotomy tube in the final position, after dilator and guidewire have been removed (e). The cricothyrotomy tube through cricothyroid membrane (f). The surgical cricothyroidotomy equipment is used for (g) vertical incision by scalpel (h) followed by insertion of Frova introducer perpendicularly to cricothyroid membrane whilst scalpel maintaining open the membrane (i), after which the introducer is slid down in trachea (j), with subsequent tracheal tube railroaded over introducer into trachea (k). Tracheal tube in final position, ventilation with bag-valve (l)