Since 2002, we have been conducting the St. Gallen Airway Management Symposium, which aims to illuminate all aspects of airway management. In lectures and workshops participants can consolidate the known, learn new things and experience visionaries.

Direktlinks

Key information

Date	20.11.2026: 13:00 - 18:00 21.11.2026: 08:15 - 18:15
Town	St.Gallen
Venue	Hotel Einstein
Organiser	Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Rettungs- und Schmerzmedizin
Target group	Specialists in anesthesiology Specialists in intensive care medicine Residents in anesthesiology Residents in intensive care medicine Emergency physicians Nurses in anesthesiology Nurses in intensive care medicine
Credits	SGNOR: lectures: 8 credits SGNOR: workshops: 4 credits SSAPM: lectures: 8 credits SSAPM: workshops: 4 credits SGI: credits (applied for)
Cost	Lectures: CHF 350.- Lectures with workshops «Airway Management»: CHF 590.- lunch included on Saturday

Description

Dear colleagues,

A hearty welcome to the 25^th St.Gallen Airway Management Symposium. It is the established Swiss platform for experts who engage with the challenges and ongoing developments in airway management.

On the occasion of the symposium’s anniversary, you can expect again a diverse and highly up-to-date program that combines proven concepts with new perspectives. At its core are the timeless principles of airway management, reflected through personal experiences and a critical appraisal of existing evidence, particularly the question of why systematic reviews and meta-analyses are often of limited value in managing the difficult airway. This is complemented by international insights into different healthcare systems and their practical implications for everyday clinical practice.

A special focus will also be the evolution of clinical decision-making processes beyond rigid algorithms, including perspectives based on the updated ASA Difficult Airway Guidelines. Case-based contributions, practice-oriented discussions, and controversial topics, such as those in paediatric airway management, encourage interdisciplinary exchange and help sharpen awareness for complex situations.

In addition, the symposium addresses key aspects of daily clinical practice: effective teamwork under time pressure, modern concepts of peroxygenation, and the training and teaching of awake intubation. Postoperative respiratory complications in children are also explored, from risk prediction to clinical implementation.

Finally, the symposium consistently looks toward the future: contributions on robotics and artificial intelligence, international standardization of terminology and outcome parameters, and future developments in airway management open up new perspectives for clinical practice, research, and education.

We look very much forward to exchanging ideas with you!

Sincerely

Prof Thomas Heidegger, MD
Prof Markus Luedi, MD

Registration

Registration will be possible from around May/June 2026.

Schedule

Lectures Friday afternoon, 20.11.2026

25-years St.Galler Airway Management Symposium: the things that remain important	Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Heidegger Chefarzt Grabs und Altstätten, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz, Spital Grabs, Grabs (CH)
Airway management in the Canadian Journal of Anesthesia – and a very personal path to St. Gallen	Prof. Dr. med. Stephan K.W. Schwarz MD, PhD, FRCPC, Professor Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (CA)
Why are most systematic reviews and meta-analysis for management of the difficult airway not helpful?	Prof. Andrew F. Smith BM BS MRCP FRCA Consultant Anaesthetist, Royal Lancaster Infirmary Hon. Professor of Clinical Anaesthesia Lancaster University, Lancaster (UK)
Airway management across health systems: lessons from global anaesthesia practice	Dr. med. Vighnesh Ashok MD FRCA, Associate Professor Department of Anaesthesia & Intensive Care PGIMER: Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh (IN)
Beyond the algorithm: key updates in the 2022 «ASA Difficult Airway Guidelines»	Dr. med. Carin A. Hagberg M.D., FASA, FACHE Senior Vice President, Chief Academic Officer Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX (US)
Don't count your chickens before they hatch: a case report	Dr. med. Amina Ghulam Oberärztin, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz, Spital Grabs, Grabs (CH)
Robotic intubation – the future?	Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Hemmerling Professor of Anesthesiology & Surgery Surgical and Interventional Sciences division Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC (CA)
Controversies in paediatric airway management	Dr. med. Karin Becke-Jakob Chefärztin, Anästhesiologie Universitäts-Kinderspital beider Basel, Basel (CH)

Lectures Saturday morning, 21.11.2026

When seconds count: teamwork in difficult airway management	Dr. med. Carin A. Hagberg M.D., FASA, FACHE Senior Vice President, Chief Academic Officer Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX (US)
Peroxygenation	Prof. Dr. med. Lorenz Theiler Chefarzt Anästhesie Bereichsleiter Medizinischer Querschnitt Klinik für Anästhesie Kantonsspital Aarau AG, Aarau (CH)
Teaching «awake» intubation	Dr. med. Patrick A. Ward Consultant Anaesthetist Department of Anaesthesia NHS Lothian, Edinburgh (UK)
Postoperative respiratory complications in children: from prediction to clinical action	Prof. Dr. med. Nicola Disma Dirigente Medico, Anestesia e Rianimazione IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova (IT)
International consensus-based airway terminology and outcome measures (ATOM)	PD Dr. med. Alexander Fuchs Consultant Anaesthesiologist (SSAPM) Pre-hospital Emergency Physician (SSERM) Lecturer Department of Anaesthesiology and Pain Medicine Inselspital, University Hospital Bern, Bern (CH)
AI and optics: the future of airway management?	Prof. Dr. med. Patrick Schoettker Chef de service, Service d’Anesthésiologie CHUV - centre hospitalier universitaire vaudois Lausanne (CH)
Airway management: future aspects	Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Heidegger Chefarzt Grabs und Altstätten, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz, Spital Grabs, Grabs (CH)

Workshops

Workshops Saturday afternoon, 21.11.2026

Airway-Management unter CPR	Prof. Dr. med. Jürgen Knapp Oberarzt mbF, Anästhesiologe Universitätsspital Bern, Bern (CH)
Koniotomie	Dr. med. univ. Michelle Liu Assistenzärztin, HNO-Klinik HOCH Health Ostschweiz Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St.Gallen (CH) Dr. med. Fabrice Savaria Oberarzt mbF, HNO-Klinik HOCH Health Ostschweiz Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St.Gallen (CH)
Fiberoptische Intubation: Tipps und Tricks	med. pract. Amanda Bischof Leitende Ärztin, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St.Gallen (CH) Dr. med. Florence Hug-Ammann Oberärztin, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St.Gallen (CH)
Kinderairway	Dr. med. Martin Hölzle Leitender Arzt, Anästhesiologie Luzerner Kantonsspital, Luzern (CH) Dr. med. Manuela Kahlert-Fasciati Leitende Ärztin, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St.Gallen (CH) Oberärztin, Anästhesie Universitäts-Kinderspital Zürich, Zürich (CH)
Tubuswechsel	Dr. med. Claudia Gmür Leitende Ärztin, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz, Spital Grabs, Grabs (CH)
Jetbeatmung und Ventrain	Dr. med. Daniel Heisenberg Leitender Arzt, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St.Gallen (CH) Daniel Kora Ressortleiter Anästhesiepflege, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St.Gallen (CH)
Gastric ultrasound	Dr. med. Sascha Bättig Oberarzt, Anästhesiologie Universitätsspital Zürich, Zürich (CH) Aline Daepp Doktorandin, Anästhesiologie Universitätsspital Zürich, Zürich (CH) Dr. med. Roman Meierhans Leitender Arzt, Klinik für Anästhesiologie Kantonsspital Winterthur, Winterthur (CH)
THRIVE	Dr. med. Barbara Spicher Oberärztin, Anästhesie Inselspital, Universitätsspital Bern, Bern (CH)

Information

Speakers

Lecturers

Dr. med. Vighnesh Ashok	MD FRCA, Associate Professor Department of Anaesthesia & Intensive Care PGIMER: Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh (IN)
Dr. med. Sascha Bättig	Oberarzt, Anästhesiologie Universitätsspital Zürich, Zürich (CH)
Dr. med. Karin Becke-Jakob	Chefärztin, Anästhesiologie Universitäts-Kinderspital beider Basel, Basel (CH)
Aline Daepp	Doktorandin, Anästhesiologie Universitätsspital Zürich, Zürich (CH)
med. pract. Amanda Bischof	Leitende Ärztin, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St.Gallen (CH)
Prof. Dr. med. Nicola Disma	Dirigente Medico, Anestesia e Rianimazione IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Genova (IT)
PD Dr. med. Alexander Fuchs	Consultant Anaesthesiologist (SSAPM) Pre-hospital Emergency Physician (SSERM) Lecturer Department of Anaesthesiology and Pain Medicine Inselspital, University Hospital Bern, Bern (CH)
Dr. med. Amina Ghulam	Oberärztin, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz, Spital Grabs, Grabs (CH)
Dr. med. Claudia Gmür	Leitende Ärztin, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz, Spital Grabs, Grabs (CH)
Dr. med. Carin A. Hagberg	M.D., FASA, FACHE Senior Vice President, Chief Academic Officer Department of Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX (US)
Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Heidegger	Chefarzt Grabs und Altstätten, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz, Spital Grabs, Grabs (CH)
Dr. med. Daniel Heisenberg	Leitender Arzt, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St.Gallen (CH)
Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Hemmerling	Professor of Anesthesiology & Surgery Surgical and Interventional Sciences division Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC (CA)
Dr. med. Martin Hölzle	Leitender Arzt, Anästhesiologie Luzerner Kantonsspital, Luzern (CH)
Dr. med. Florence Hug-Ammann	Oberärztin, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St.Gallen (CH)
Dr. med. Manuela Kahlert-Fasciati	Leitende Ärztin, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St.Gallen (CH) Oberärztin, Anästhesie Universitäts-Kinderspital Zürich, Zürich (CH)
Prof. Dr. med. Jürgen Knapp	Oberarzt mbF, Anästhesiologie Universitätsspital Bern, Bern (CH)
Daniel Kora	Ressortleiter Anästhesiepflege, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St.Gallen (CH)
Dr. med. univ. Michelle Liu	Assistenzärztin, HNO-Klinik HOCH Health Ostschweiz Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St.Gallen (CH)
Dr. med. Roman Meierhans	Leitender Arzt, Klinik für Anästhesiologie Kantonsspital Winterthur, Winterthur (CH)
Dr. med. Fabrice Savaria	Oberarzt mbF, HNO-Klinik HOCH Health Ostschweiz Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St.Gallen (CH)
Prof. Andrew F. Smith	BM BS MRCP FRCA Consultant Anaesthetist, Royal Lancaster Infirmary Hon. Professor of Clinical Anaesthesia Lancaster University, Lancaster (UK)
Prof. Dr. med. Patrick Schoettker	Chef de service, Service d’Anesthésiologie CHUV - centre hospitalier universitaire vaudois Lausanne (CH)
Prof. Dr. med. Stephan K.W. Schwarz	MD, PhD, FRCPC, Professor Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology & Therapeutics Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC (CA)
Dr. med. Barbara Spicher	Oberärztin, Anästhesie Inselspital, Universitätsspital Bern, Bern (CH)
Prof. Dr. med. Lorenz Theiler	Chefarzt Anästhesie Bereichsleiter Medizinischer Querschnitt Klinik für Anästhesie Kantonsspital Aarau AG, Aarau (CH)
Dr. med. Patrick A. Ward	Consultant Anaesthetist Department of Anaesthesia NHS Lothian, Edinburgh (UK)

Moderators


Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Heidegger	Chefarzt Grabs und Altstätten, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz, Spital Grabs, Grabs (CH)
Prof. Dr. med. Markus Lüdi	Klinikdirektor / Chefarzt St.Gallen, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St.Gallen (CH)
Prof. Dr. med. Patrick Schoettker	Chef de service, Service d’Anesthésiologie CHUV - centre hospitalier universitaire vaudois Lausanne (CH)
Prof. Dr. med. Volker Wenzel	Zentrumsdirektor und Chefarzt Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Intensivmedizin, Notfallmedizin und Schmerztherapie Medizin Campus Bodensee- Friedrichshafen und Tettnang, Friedrichshafen (DE)

Scientific board


Prof. Dr. med. Markus Lüdi	Klinikdirektor / Chefarzt St.Gallen, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St.Gallen (CH)
Prof. Dr. med. Thomas Heidegger	Chefarzt Grabs und Altstätten, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz, Spital Grabs, Grabs (CH)
Dr. med. Daniel Heisenberg	Leitender Arzt, Anästhesiologie HOCH Health Ostschweiz Kantonsspital St.Gallen, St.Gallen (CH)

Getting here

Venue

Einstein St.Gallen | Hotel – Congress – Wellness

Getting there

Overnight stay

If you quote the promotion code «Airway26», you will receive special conditions at the Einstein Congress Hotel.

Or find more accommodations: Tourist Information - st.gallen-bodensee.ch - EN or Switzerland Travel & Vacation | Switzerland Tourism (myswitzerland.com)

Contact

Kontakt

Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Rettungs- und Schmerzmedizin Kurs- und Kongressorganisation

+41 71 494 15 15 an.kurse@h-och.ch

25th St.Gallen Airway Management Anniversary Symposium — 20.11. - 21.11.2026 St.Gallen Symposium/congress