2. Introduction
0 There’s never a warning before a person gets an
object caught in their throat and starts choking.
0 Fortunately, there are effective
techniques to deal with this
emergency.
3. Choking
0 Choking is the mechanical obstruction of the flow of
air from the environment into the lungs
0 Choking prevents breathing, and can be partial or
complete
0 Prolonged or complete choking
results in asphyxia which leads to
anoxia and is potentially fatal
4. Causes of Choking
0 Eating (especially eating and laughing at the same time,
eating too fast, and failing to chew food well enough.)
0 Alcohol and drug consumption (even a small amount
affects awareness.)
0 Trauma to the head and face (bleeding can cause
choking)
0 Small objects swallowed by children
(beads, toys)
5. Lack of Oxygen
0 Without oxygen the brain can begin to die within 4
to 6 minutes.
0 By learning the Heimlich Maneuver-a simple life-
saving technique-you may literally save the life of a
choking victim.
6. Treatment
1. Encourage the patient to cough
2. Back slaps
3. Abdominal thrusts (HEILMICHS MANUVER)
4. Finger sweeping
5. Direct visual removal
6. C.P.R
7. Heimlich Maneuver
0 The Heimlich Maneuver is the most effective
way to remove something stuck in an
adult’s or older child’s throat.
0 It lifts the diaphragm and forces enough air
from the lungs to remove the obstruction.
8. When Do I Use The Heimlich?
0 The person is grabbing the throat with the hand
(the universal sign for choking)
0 You notice they are gagging
0 You hear a weak ineffective cough, noisy breathing,
or high-pitched sounds
0 The person is starting to look blue
9. How To Do The Heimlich
0 Stand behind the choking person and wrap
your arm around his or her waist
0 Place thumb side of the fist against middle of
person’s abdomen just above the navel and well
below the ribs
0 Press your fist into the person’s abdomen with
quick, upward thrusts
0 Repeat abdominal thrusts until the object is
coughed up
10.
11. If the patient is pregnant or
Obese?
0 Rescuer places their
hand in the centre of the
chest to compress,
rather than in the
abdomen.
13. The Heimlich Manoeuvre In
Infants
0 Infants less than 3 years are more prone than adults
0 Determine if the infant can cry or cough.
0 If infant is choking and cannot cough, cry or breathe,
then follow the Heimlich Manoeuvre as follows
16. Step 3-Look in the mouth to check if you can see the
object.
17. Step 4
0 Repeat steps 2 & 3 above
until the object is expelled
or the infant becomes
unconscious.
0 If the infant becomes
unresponsive, perform
CPR and call for medical
assistance
18. Always remember…
0 Following the expulsion of the object, keep the
victim still and get medical help
0 Complications can arise from the incident or from
the measures that were taken
