[Helsinki Declaration on Patient Safety in Anaesthesiology--part 9: Recommendations for clinical airway management organisation].

In the Helsinki Declaration terms and conditions are demanded to control problems in airway management in perioperative care situations. A differentiated airway management can reduce morbidity and mortality. This includes staff- and structure-adjusted standard operating procedures (SOP), which take into account different patient groups, situations of treatment and current guidelines. Along with these SOPs continuing education, sytematic screening of patients and the use of algorithms and checklists are recommended. In this regard paediatric care requires special consideration. Furthermore the fibreoptic as the gold standard for the difficult airway as well as surgical airway management are essential and must be available at all times, whereas videolaryngoscopy takes on increasing evidence as an additional technique.