Background Airway management is a paramount clinical skill for the anaesthesiologist. The Emergency Cricothyroidotomy (EC) constitutes the final step in difficult airway algorithms securing a patent airway via a front‐of‐neck access. The main distinction among available techniques is whether the procedure is surgical and scalpel‐based or percutaneous and needle‐based. Methods In an experimental randomized crossover trial, using an animal larynx model, we compared two EC techniques; the Rapid Four Step Technique and the Melker Emergency Cricothyrotomy Kit®. We assessed time expenditure and success rates among 20 anaesthesiologists and related this to previous training, seniority and clinical experience with EC. Results All participants achieved successful airway access with both methods. Average time to successful airway access for scalpel‐based EC was 54 (±31) seconds and for percutaneous EC 89 (±38) seconds, with 35 (95% CI: 14‐57) seconds time difference, P = .003. Doctors with recent (<12 months) EC training performed better compared to the non‐training group (37 vs 61 seconds, P = .03 for scalpel‐based EC, and 65 vs 99 seconds, P = .02 for percutaneous EC). We found no differences according to clinical seniority or previous real‐life EC experience. Conclusions Our study demonstrated that anaesthesiologists achieved successful airway access on an animal experimental model with both EC methods within a reasonable time frame, but the scalpel‐based EC is performed more promptly. Recent EC training affected the time expenditure positively, while seniority and clinical EC experience did not. EC procedures should be regularly trained for.
Background Advanced prehospital airway management includes complex procedures carried out in challenging environments, necessitating a high level of technical and non-technical skills. We aimed to describe Norwegian Air Ambulance-crews’ performance in a difficult airway scenario simulation, ending with a “cannot intubate, cannot oxygenate”-situation. Methods The study describes Air Ambulance crews’ management of a simulated difficult airway scenario. We used video-observation to assess time expenditure according to pre-defined time intervals and technical and non-technical performance was evaluated according to a structured evaluation-form. Results Thirty-six crews successfully completed the emergency cricothyroidotomy with mean procedural time 118 (SD: ±70) seconds. There was variation among the crews in terms of completed procedural steps, including preparation of equipment, patient- monitoring and management. The participants demonstrated uniform and appropriate situational awareness, and effective communication and resource utilization within the crews was evident. Conclusions We found that Norwegian Air Ambulance crews managed a prehospital “cannot intubate, cannot oxygenate”-situation with an emergency cricothyroidotomy under stressful conditions with effective communication and resource utilization, and within a reasonable timeframe. Some discrepancies between standard operating procedures and performance are observed. Further studies to assess the impact of check lists on procedural aspects of airway management in the prehospital environment are warranted.
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