LAUSR

Abstract Transient oxygen desaturation during emergency department intubation is an event with potentially devastating consequences. Pre‐oxygenation is an important means of increasing a patient's oxygen reserve and duration of safe apnea prior to intubation. In the emergent setting, important modifications to pre‐oxygenation techniques need to be considered to best manage critically ill patients. In this review, we discuss recent updates in pre‐oxygenation techniques and evaluate the evidence supporting both commonly used and newly emerging techniques for pre‐oxygenation, assessing nature and level of illness, the best delivery method of oxygen, using delayed sequence intubation in patients who cannot tolerate non‐invasive pre‐oxygenation and using apneic oxygenation via nasal cannula and non‐rebreather mask during intubation.