Clearing the airway? A pilot cadaveric study of the LifeVac™ device.

Abstract

Foreign body aspiration (FBA) is a leading cause of accidental death, especially among children and older adults. Suction-based airway clearance devices, such as the LifeVac™, an FDA-registered Class II medical device, have garnered attention as potential adjunctive tools in FBA management; however, data on their efficacy remain limited. This study evaluated the performance of the LifeVac™ in a cadaveric model simulating complete upper airway obstruction by commonly aspirated food items. Fresh c