Esophageal Intubation

In a medical emergency, intubation -- placing a tube down a patient's windpipe that brings oxygen to the lungs -- is often the first step in saving a person's life. But in the throat, right behind the windpipe, lies the esophagus -- the food pipe -- that leads not to the lungs, but to the stomach. Emergency personnel don't always realize when they've put the tube in the wrong place -- a mistake with tragic results that could easily be avoided.

Click here to read the coverage of CBS Evening News on Abby's story.