What is the atragantamiento?

Published on: 28/10/2019

Lee in complete content in Infermeravirtual.com

The atragantamiento is the total blockage or partial of the via for where it happens the air (tracto respiratory) because of some object or food that it hinders it. 


What people are more vulnerable of choking?

The atragantamiento usually presents in a snap and unexpected way. Small children (sucklings) are the group of town that it is more likely that it chokes, given that they not yet chew correctly and they can swallow great food pieces. In addition, put on small objects in the mouth that they can obstruct airways. Additionally must have in account that reflections and the defense mechanisms of babies are still immature. All of this, does them especially vulnerable to suffer a situation of atragantamiento. 


Basic recommendations to avoid the atragantamiento in children

  • It is recommended that has always an adult that it watches to the boy or girl while it eats.
  • It is necessary to cut the solid foodstuffs in very small pieces and to chew them good.
  • The toys of the boy or girl must be suitable to its age.
  • There is no need to give nuts nor foodstuffs with bone to the children or girls of less than 5 years.
  • In the event of atragantamiento, he must remain the calm.

Activity in children of more than a year or in older persons

Usually, the atragantamiento is presented with two situations:

1. The atragantamiento is not total, and the person can still talk and, therefore, to breathe.

  • What must do before this situation?
    • It is necessary to cheer up the person to be coughed so that with the cough expels which him atraganta.
  • What SHOULD NOT do before this situation?
    • They should not give blows in the back since the object can get around and the situation of atragantamiento can worsen.
    • He should not introduce nothing in the mouth nor to try to take out blindly the object or the food that cause the atragantamiento.

2. The atragantamiento is total, therefore the person can not talk nor to breathe, it shows clear signs of breathlessness (for example, puts on the hand in the neck) and the absence of rise or decrease movements is observed of the chest in every ventilation attempt (breathing).  

  • What must do before this situation?

    It is necessary to inspect visually the mouth and to take out any visible foreign body.
  • If the person is conscious:

1. They must give 5 dry blows consecutive with La Palma of the hand in the back, between the omoplatos. If this manoeuvre does not solve the situation, they must follow indications of the point 2.

2. Manoeuvre of Heimlich. It consists of to carry out 5 abdominal compressions: it is necessary to embrace the person from back, to put two fists under the sternum and to push them with force towards immerse and upward.

In pregnant and people women very thick, the manoeuvre you can do compressing the chest above the appendix xifoideo, at the level of the inferior third of the sternum. If the person that must carry out the manoeuvre does not have force enough to do her standing, can suit the concerned individual in a chair or to knock down her in the land face up and to do compressions. 


If the blockage has not been solved, they must alternate five blows in the back with five abdominal compressions. 

  • If the person is unconscious:

It is necessary to call to the 112 (telephone of emergencies).

If knowledge of cardiopulmonary resuscitation are had (RCP), it is recommended to initiate manoeuvres of resuscitation. It is necessary to inspect visually the mouth and to take out any visible foreign body.