USC Anesthesia Sub-I
Prepare the room
Photo lesson · 8 steps · ~5 min

Set up the airway

ETT with stylet and a checked (fully deflated) cuff, tape, oral airway and a working laryngoscope — laid out together.

Find supplies
What you need (7)
ETT (size per resident)Stylet10 mL syringeTape ×2Oral airwayMAC blade + handleLubricant (optional)
0 of 8 steps done
  1. 1Step 1 of 8 Standard practice

    Gather the tube, stylet and syringe

    Do
    Get an endotracheal tube, a stylet and a 10 mL syringe.
    Why
    The syringe tests the cuff now and inflates it after intubation.
    Check
    Tube size matches the plan (commonly 7.0–7.5 for women, 7.5–8.0 for men — your resident decides). Packages intact.
  2. 2Step 2 of 8 Standard practice

    Load the stylet, attach the syringe

    Do
    Open the tube package only partway. Slide the stylet in and attach the syringe to the pilot balloon valve.
    Why
    Keeping the tip in its sleeve keeps it clean until use.
    Check
    Stylet tip stays inside the tube — short of the tip and the Murphy eye. Bend a gentle “hockey stick” curve near the cuff.
  3. 1 / 2
    3Step 3 of 8 Standard practice

    Test the cuff, then fully deflate

    Do
    Inflate the cuff to check it holds, then pull all the air back out. Leave the syringe attached.
    Why
    Confirms there’s no leak before the tube goes in.
    Check
    Cuff inflates evenly and holds, then is fully deflated. The 10 mL syringe is the tool, not the dose — the team sets cuff pressure in the patient.
  4. 4Step 4 of 8 LA General workflow

    Get two kinds of tape

    Do
    Grab the pink tape and the white tape. Pre-tear strips if your resident likes that.
    Why
    Pink tape secures the tube to the face; white tape is for eyes, lines and the bite block.
    Check
    Both tapes within reach.
  5. 1 / 2
    5Step 5 of 8 LA General workflow

    Gather the oral airway, blade and handle

    Do
    Read the package backs: oral airway, Polaris MAC 4 blade, DispoLED handle.
    Why
    Size is printed on the package — choose before you open.
    Check
    Oral airway sized from the corner of the mouth to the angle of the jaw.
  6. 1 / 2
    6Step 6 of 8 LA General workflow

    Unwrap the handle and blade

    Do
    Unwrap the handle and blade. Keep the blade’s plastic sleeve — you’ll slide it back on.
    Why
    Single-use disposable blade and handle.
    Check
    Blade and handle undamaged.
  7. 1 / 7
    7Step 7 of 8 Standard practice

    Click the blade on and check the light

    Do
    Hook the blade’s notch onto the handle’s bar, push until it clicks, then swing the blade up to 90° — the light turns on. Fold it back down to switch it off.
    Why
    Confirms the light works before induction.
    Check
    Bright light at the tip; blade locks at 90°. Dim or no light → new handle or blade.
  8. 8Step 8 of 8 LA General workflow

    Lay it out together

    Do
    Styleted tube with syringe attached, oral airway, blade on handle back in its sleeve, tape. Suction on and a Yankauer within reach.
    Why
    One glance tells the team you’re ready.
    Check
    Primary and backup equipment present; suction working.
    Say
    “Airway’s set up: 7.5 tube with stylet, cuff checked, MAC 4, oral airway, suction working. What backup would you like?”

Common errors

  • Stylet past the tube tip
  • Cuff left inflated
  • Forgetting to test the light
  • Opening the whole tube package (contaminating the tip)

Teach it back

Teach-back
Does a good laryngoscope light mean the airway setup is complete?
Answer
No — suction, a mask, the agreed backup device and capnography also have to be ready.

Compare with the finished setup

The whole morning setup. Your resident and the case decide the final equipment.

Done with this part?

Mark it prepared in your room checklist, then review it with your resident.

Next: Induction meds
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