Percutaneous transtracheal ventilation.

The technique of percutaneous transtracheal ventilation (intermittent jets of oxygen under high pressure, 50 pounds per square inch [psi]) has been used for resuscitation during anesthesia and prior to tracheostomy, and has been established as an important adjunct to life-support techniques. The technical aspects are described together with experimental evidence that intermittent jet ventilation is necessary to eliminate carbon dioxide. The complications occurring with a series of 80 patients are reported along with experimental work in ventilation of dogs with compressed air sources, including truck tires. Emergency physicians should be familiar with this technique and equipment for its use should be readily available in the emergency department. The potential role of transtracheal ventilation in the mobile intensive care unit at accident sites has been explored and appears promising. Conventional airway support techniques should be applied prior to resorting to transtracheal ventilation.