The Vortex: striving for simplicity, context independence and teamwork in an airway cognitive tool.

sage for CICVmanagement. As in the Vortexmodel, this prompts the operator to attempt both supraglottic airway andmask ventilation, then if unsuccessful to move on to surgical intervention. Prompting surgical cricothyroidotomy over cannula cricothyroidotomy is consistentwith the 4thNational Audit Project’s finding of high failure rates for cannula cricothyroidotomy in adults. The summary phrase ‘Mask – LMA – Knife’ presents the core features of the Vortex Approach to CICV situations in an easily remembered formandwould complement teaching of theVortex or other CICV algorithms.