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Securing the airway patency by firefighters with the use of CombiTube. A pilot data
Affiliations- Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Internal Medicine I, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Emergency Medical Service, Wroclaw Medical University, Poland
- Department of Rescue Medicine, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland
- Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center, Department of Surgery, Richmond, United States
- Student's Scientific Association of Children's Diabetology of Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland
- Lazarski University, Warsaw, Poland
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The protection of the airways with the use of vomer devices for ventilation is one of the elements of the procedure in cardiopulmonary resuscitation. One of the alternative ways to protect the airways from endotracheal intubation is the CombiTube tube. The aim of the study was to assess the ability to protect airway patency using CombiTube during simulated cardiopulmonary resuscitation performed by firefighters.
METHOD: This study was a prospective randomized crossover simulation study. The study included 56 firefighters who performed airway patency protection with the use of CombiTube during simulated cardiopulmonary resuscitation with and without chest compressions.
RESULTS: The median duration of securing airway patency with CombiTube device during scenario without and with chest compressions was: 21 s (IQR; 14−25.5) vs. 21.5 s (IQR; 15−27), respectively. The vast majority of attempts to insert CombiTube resulted in the insertion of the device to the esophagus: 92.8% vs. 91.1% (with and without chest compressions, respectively). The insertion of CombiTube to the trachea was observed in 7.1% vs. 8.9% during scenarios with and without chest compression, respectively. Study participants assessed the easiness of performing the procedure at 19 points (IQR, 13−22) for scenario without chest compression, and 18.5 points (IQR, 14−21.5) for scenario with uninterrupted chest compressions.
CONCLUSIONS: Firefighters are able to secure the airway patency with the use of CombiTube tube after a short training. Compressing the chest during resuscitation does not prolong the procedure of maintaining the airway patency with CombiTube. The tip of the CombiTube tube is inserted into the esophagus in over 91% of cases.
Abstract
INTRODUCTION: The protection of the airways with the use of vomer devices for ventilation is one of the elements of the procedure in cardiopulmonary resuscitation. One of the alternative ways to protect the airways from endotracheal intubation is the CombiTube tube. The aim of the study was to assess the ability to protect airway patency using CombiTube during simulated cardiopulmonary resuscitation performed by firefighters.
METHOD: This study was a prospective randomized crossover simulation study. The study included 56 firefighters who performed airway patency protection with the use of CombiTube during simulated cardiopulmonary resuscitation with and without chest compressions.
RESULTS: The median duration of securing airway patency with CombiTube device during scenario without and with chest compressions was: 21 s (IQR; 14−25.5) vs. 21.5 s (IQR; 15−27), respectively. The vast majority of attempts to insert CombiTube resulted in the insertion of the device to the esophagus: 92.8% vs. 91.1% (with and without chest compressions, respectively). The insertion of CombiTube to the trachea was observed in 7.1% vs. 8.9% during scenarios with and without chest compression, respectively. Study participants assessed the easiness of performing the procedure at 19 points (IQR, 13−22) for scenario without chest compression, and 18.5 points (IQR, 14−21.5) for scenario with uninterrupted chest compressions.
CONCLUSIONS: Firefighters are able to secure the airway patency with the use of CombiTube tube after a short training. Compressing the chest during resuscitation does not prolong the procedure of maintaining the airway patency with CombiTube. The tip of the CombiTube tube is inserted into the esophagus in over 91% of cases.
Keywords
airway management; firefighter; prehospital; cardiopulmonary resuscitation; medical simulation
About this articleTitle
Securing the airway patency by firefighters with the use of CombiTube. A pilot data
Journal
Disaster and Emergency Medicine Journal
Issue
Article type
Research paper
Pages
46-50
Published online
2018-09-27
Page views
748
Article views/downloads
710
DOI
Bibliographic record
Disaster Emerg Med J 2018;3(2):46-50.
Keywords
airway management
firefighter
prehospital
cardiopulmonary resuscitation
medical simulation
Authors
Michael Frass
Oliver Robak
Jacek Smereka
Agata Dabrowska
Marek Dabrowski
Michael Czekajlo
Wladyslaw Gawel
Lukasz Szarpak
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