Ensuring an open and clear airway is one of the highest priorities in emergency medical care. Oropharyngeal and nasopharyngeal airways can provide some basic airway management, but don’t protect the airway completely. Intubation, long considered the gold standard for airway management, provides excellent airway protection but requires significant equipment and training.

Supraglottic airway devices fill the gap between basic airway tools and intubation, especially for EMS providers with limited experience and training.