How To Insert an Oropharyngeal Airway By Dorothy Habrat, DO, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Reviewed / Revised Jul 2022 | Modified Sep 2022 View Patient Education Indications Contraindications Complications Equipment Additional Considerations Relevant Anatomy Positioning Step-by-Step Description of Procedure Aftercare Warnings and Common Errors Topic Resources Head and neck positioning... How To Insert an Oropharyngeal... Oropharyngeal airways are rigid intraoral devices that conform to the tongue and displace it away from the posterior pharyngeal wall, thereby restoring pharyngeal airway patency.