INTRODUCTION: We developed a suction laryngoscope, which enables simultaneous suction and laryngoscopy in cases of airway haemorrhage and evaluated its potential benefits in physicians with varying emergency medical service experience. METHODS: Eighteen physicians with regular and 24 physicians with occasional emergency medical service experience intubated the trachea of a manikin with severe simulated airway haemorrhage using the suction laryngoscope and the Macintosh laryngoscope in random order. RESULTS: In physicians with regular emergency medical service experience, there was neither a difference in time needed for intubation [median (IQR, CI 95%)]: 34 (18, 30-46) vs. 34 (22, 30-52) s; P=0.52, nor in the number of oesophageal intubations [0/18 (0%) vs. 3/18 (16.7%); P=NS] when using the suction vs. the Macintosh laryngoscope. In physicians with occasional emergency medical service experience, there was no difference in time needed for intubation [median (IQR, CI 95%)]: 42 (25, 41-57) vs. 45 (33, 41-65) s; P=0.56, but the number of oesophageal intubations was significantly lower when using the suction laryngoscope [4/24 (16.7%) vs. 12/24 (50.0%); P=0.04]. CONCLUSIONS: In a model of severe simulated airway haemorrhage, employing a suction laryngoscope significantly decreased the likelihood of oesophageal intubations in physicians with occasional emergency medical service experience.
INTRODUCTION: We developed a suction laryngoscope, which enables simultaneous suction and laryngoscopy in cases of airway haemorrhage and evaluated its potential benefits in physicians with varying emergency medical service experience. METHODS: Eighteen physicians with regular and 24 physicians with occasional emergency medical service experience intubated the trachea of a manikin with severe simulated airway haemorrhage using the suction laryngoscope and the Macintosh laryngoscope in random order. RESULTS: In physicians with regular emergency medical service experience, there was neither a difference in time needed for intubation [median (IQR, CI 95%)]: 34 (18, 30-46) vs. 34 (22, 30-52) s; P=0.52, nor in the number of oesophageal intubations [0/18 (0%) vs. 3/18 (16.7%); P=NS] when using the suction vs. the Macintosh laryngoscope. In physicians with occasional emergency medical service experience, there was no difference in time needed for intubation [median (IQR, CI 95%)]: 42 (25, 41-57) vs. 45 (33, 41-65) s; P=0.56, but the number of oesophageal intubations was significantly lower when using the suction laryngoscope [4/24 (16.7%) vs. 12/24 (50.0%); P=0.04]. CONCLUSIONS: In a model of severe simulated airway haemorrhage, employing a suction laryngoscope significantly decreased the likelihood of oesophageal intubations in physicians with occasional emergency medical service experience.
Authors: Simon-Richard Finke; Daniel C Schroeder; Hannes Ecker; Bernd W Böttiger; Holger Herff; Wolfgang A Wetsch Journal: BMC Anesthesiol Date: 2022-09-10 Impact factor: 2.376