Role of the Airway Community

Key Points

Airway societies exist to help patient care by improving the quality and safety of airway management practices, as well as disseminating educational and research-related activities through annual meetings (workshops, lectures) and educational forums.
Given that there is still significant morbidity related to airway management, airway societies aim to improve patient care by advocating for airway techniques that remain safe for the patient.
Use of social media and clinical forums will likely become even more prevalent for discussing the best airway management practices among society members.

Introduction

This chapter highlights the role and importance of various airway societies worldwide. These airway societies exist to help patient care by improving the quality and safety of airway management practices and disseminating educational and research-related activities through annual meetings (workshops, lectures) and educational forums. Three large airway societies currently exist: Society for Airway Management (SAM), Difficult Airway Society (DAS), and European Airway Management Society (EAMS). This chapter focuses on these societies and the benefits to clinicians and patients.

Individual Societies

Society for Airway Management (SAM)

This North American–based multidisciplinary society was established in 1995. Its membership includes physicians from all various specialties who deal with airway management, as well as nonphysicians involved in airway-related patient care, research, or product development. The majority of members of SAM are anesthesiologists and emergency physicians. The missions of SAM include (1) to associate and affiliate into one organization all physicians who are engaged in the practice of medicine dealing with airway management and nonphysicians who are involved in airway-related patient care, research, or airway-related product development, and (2) to advance the study of airway management, to contribute to the advancement of new airway-management techniques, encouraging research, education, teaching, and scientific advancement of airway management.

Difficult Airway Society (DAS)

DAS, like SAM, was established in 1995. This UK-based group’s goal is to advance the public’s understanding of airway management and is aimed at anaesthetists and critical care personnel. With nearly 3000 members, it is the world’s largest and most active international airway management society. The aims of DAS are (1) to advance public education in the science and practice of the management of patients with difficult or unusual airway problems, by the conduct of courses, lectures, and demonstrations and by ensuring that due attention is paid to airway management techniques in the training curricula of medical and paramedical practitioners, and (2) to promote research and the development of new techniques in dealing with airway problems and to publish the useful results of that research. It has published a number of guidelines relating to various aspects of airway management which have been adopted worldwide. In conjunction with the Royal College of Anaesthetists DAS established the Airway Lead Network.

European Airway Management Society (EAMS)

This pan-European medical society founded in 2003 is also geared toward anaesthetists and critical care personnel.

Other Airway Societies

All India Difficult Airway Association (AIDAA)

AIDAA is an Indian-based professional forum of anesthesiologists, intensivists, physicians, and emergency medicine practitioners who are involved in the management of the airway. Its mission is to achieve the highest standards of professional competence in the art and science of difficult airway management through teaching and training, sharing of knowledge, liaison with national and international professional bodies, and multicenter research.

Confederación Latinoamericana de Sociedades de Anestesiología (CLASA)

CLASA is a Latin American society established in 1962 in Lima, Peru. Anesthesiology members are enrolled from 21 Latin American countries. Entrenamiento en Vía Aérea Latinoamérica (EVALa) is a subsection of CLASA and has scientific chapters, including one focused on airway management. EVALa was founded in 2011 and currently teaches in the 17 countries of Latin America. Invited professors and lecturers from Europe, Asia, and the United States have participated in teaching over 50 courses. Almost 5500 anesthesiology attendants have been trained by this organization.

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