Preface

We have tried to create a work that approaches the latest developments in the field of airway management. To achieve this purpose, we have created alliances with the best experts, most qualified professionals of recognized prestige in this field, who have reviewed the new preoperative diagnostic methods, the new intubation devices, the new ways of handling extubation, the novelties in postoperative management in the resuscitation units, the management of the airway of those patients in remote areas outside the operating room or in extreme situations, and all that news that may be of interest to our colleagues. Always trying to achieve a simple, easy and direct reading that will be helpful in the daily work.

From my role as the unifier of the authors and their chapters, I want to thank each of my colleagues for their work. The present book "Recent Advances in Anesthesiology Vol. 3 – An Update on Airway Management" emerged as an opportunity to unite the knowledge of those expert colleagues in this area and transmit it to readers interested in the subject, and I think we have achieved it.

Finally, I want to thank my father, Dr. Vicente Martinez Navas, specialist in Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Preventive Medicine, Epidemiology, Microbiology, General Medicine, as well as Military Doctor. One of the best, most trained and outstanding Spanish doctors of his generation. He instilled in me a humanistic mentality of medicine, fundamental when planning and approaching this kind of work. I also want to thank my mother for being the non-medical counterpoint in my life. Without them, I would never have reached where I am, and this book would not have seen the light.

The difficult airway management (DA) is a challenge for anesthesiologists and for all those professionals who are related to it.

Over the years, their knowledge and practice have evolved to a great extent, becoming in most of the Services a known, practiced and respected activity.

Since the times when they were only used as handling devices to solve the DA, the laryngoscope, face mask, stylet and guedel, until now, with a large number of Supraglottic Devices, Videolaryngoscopes and Fibroscopes, have changed the DA approach a lot.

However, we must not forget that the important thing is to assess the patient's airway and, with this knowledge, established an action strategy with alternative plans based on theoretical knowledge, practical ability with the different devices and in the follow-up of DA Algorithms of each hospital.

With this book "Recent Advances in Anesthesiology Vol. 3 – An Update on Airway Management" we intend to update the knowledge of all those novelties that have been emerging in this field.

We trust that it will be easy to read at the same time as deep and allow your reader an update on the management of the difficult airway.