Emergency Airway (LEMON Scale)
Emergency Medicine specialty tool
Bedside Tool Interface Configuration
Classifies and scores the difficulty of emergency endotracheal intubation using the bedside LEMON mnemonic.
Algorithm Checklist Parameters:
- Look externally (facial trauma, large beard, macroglossia)?
- Evaluate 3-3-2 rule (mouth opening <3 fingerbreadths, hyoid-mental <3, thyroid-hyoid <2)?
- Mallampati score of III or IV?
- Presence of airway obstruction (epiglottitis, peritonsillar abscess)?
- Neck immobility / cervical collar locked?
Primary Clinical Application:
Pre-intubation preparation to trigger video-laryngoscopy or surgical airway backup.