Digital intubation.

Digital tracheal intubation provides a safe and efficient method of intubation when the conventional methods of endotracheal intubation are impractical or impossible. Because of difficulties encountered in the field with oral or nasal intubation, a more efficient method was sought. After paramedics were taught tactile intubation on mongrel dogs and human cadavers, the procedure was used on 66 patients in the field over a period of 20 months. Fifty-eight patients were intubated successfully using this method. In 27 of these patients, delay in airway control would have resulted if not for the institution of digital intubation. In seven cases digital intubation was unsuccessful and the patients had to be intubated by other methods. Digital tracheal intubation is a safe, rapid method of intubation and should be considered when other methods prove difficult or impossible.