Airway management is how doctors make sure you can breathe properly, especially during surgery, after major illness or injury, or when the natural airway is blocked.

This is a broad term that includes all the ways doctors help make sure you can breathe safely and effectively, especially during surgery, emergencies, or critical illness.

It includes:

• Simple methods like giving oxygen through a mask or nasal tube

• Inserting a breathing tube through the mouth (called intubation)

• Using machines like a ventilator to assist breathing

• Emergency procedures when the airway is blocked

So, airway management is the overall care of making sure your airway (windpipe) is open and your lungs get enough oxygen.