Facemask anaesthesia may be used with spontaneous or controlled ventilation.

Manual ventilation, via the facemask, is used at the start of most anaesthetics during the period of apnoea that follows induction, and before a laryngeal mask airway (LMA) or tracheal tube (TT) is inserted.

For short cases, facemask anaesthesia may be maintained throughout anaesthesia.

Question: In what other situations might facemask ventilation also be needed?

Answer

Facemask anaesthesia may be used with spontaneous or controlled ventilation.

Manual ventilation, via the facemask, is used at the start of most anaesthetics during the period of apnoea that follows induction, and before a laryngeal mask airway (LMA) or tracheal tube (TT) is inserted.

For short cases, facemask anaesthesia may be maintained throughout anaesthesia.

Question: In what other situations might facemask ventilation also be needed?

Answer: Facemask ventilation might also be needed during management of the airway in remote locations, when anaesthetic equipment is not available or when other anaesthetic techniques fail, or when the airway is difficult.