Videolaryngoscopy for Physician-Based, Prehospital Emergency Intubation: A Prospective, Randomized, Multicenter Comparison of Different Blade Types Using A.P. Advance, C-MAC System, and KingVision.

BACKGROUND: Videolaryngoscopy is a valuable technique for endotracheal intubation. When used in the perioperative period, different videolaryngoscopes vary both in terms of technical use and intubation success rates. However, in the prehospital environment, the relative performance of different videolaryngoscopic systems is less well studied. METHODS: We conducted this prospective, randomized, multicenter study at 4 German prehospital emergency medicine centers. One hundred sixty-eight adult patients requiring prehospital emergency intubation were treated by an emergency physician and randomized to 1 of 3 portable videolaryngoscopes (A.P. Advance, C-MAC PM, and channeled blade KingVision) with different blade types. The primary outcome variable was overall intubation success and secondary outcomes included first-attempt intubation success, glottis visualization, and difficulty with handling the devices. P values for pairwise comparisons are corrected by the Bonferroni method for 3 tests (P[BF]). All presented P values are adjusted for center. RESULTS: Glottis visualization was comparable with all 3 devices. Overall intubation success for A.P. Advance, C-MAC, and KingVision was 96%, 97%, and 61%, respectively (overall: P < .001, A.P. Advance versus C-MAC: odds ratio [OR], 0.97, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.13-7.42, P[BF] > 0.99; A.P. Advance versus KingVision: OR, 0.043, 95% CI, 0.0088-0.21, P[BF] < 0.001; C-MAC versus KingVision: OR, 0.043, 95% CI, 0.0088-0.21, P[BF] < 0.001). Intubation success on the first attempt with A.P. Advance, C-MAC, and KingVision was 86%, 85%, and 48%, respectively (overall: P < .001, A.P. Advance versus C-MAC: OR, 0.89, 95% CI, 0.31-2.53, P[BF] > 0.99; A.P. Advance versus KingVision: OR, 0.24, 95% CI, 0.055-0.38, P[BF] = 0.0054; C-MAC versus KingVision: OR, 0.21, 95% CI, 0.043-.34, P[BF] < 0.003). Direct laryngoscopy for successful intubation with the videolaryngoscopic device was necessary with the A.P. Advance in 5 patients, and with the C-MAC in 4 patients. In the KingVision group, 21 patients were intubated with an alternative device. CONCLUSIONS: During prehospital emergency endotracheal intubation performed by emergency physicians, success rates of 3 commercially available videolaryngoscopes A.P. Advance, C-MAC PM, and KingVision varied markedly. We also found that although any of the videolaryngoscopes provided an adequate view, actual intubation was more difficult with the channeled blade KingVision.

[Invasive emergency techniques - In-field-amputation]. / Invasive Notfalltechniken - Notamputation.

On-scene invasive emergency procedures, such as Cricothyroidotomy, chest drain, intraosseous puncture or even in-field-amputation, are often unavoidable, when indicated, and present a major challenge for the emergency physician. Personal, temporal or local conditions are often unsuitable. Even with regular intervention by the Emergency Medical Service, "last resort" measures occur very infrequently, particularly in relation to paediatric emergencies. As well as theoretical training, practice-oriented course concepts are essential in order to achieve high quality in these procedures. This article presents the use of in-field-amputation, with reference to indication, implementation, problems and risks. It is part of a series of four articles on the subject of invasive emergency techniques.

[Invasive emergency techniques--decompression of the pleura]. / Invasive Notfalltechniken--Entlastung des Pleuraraumes.

On-scene invasive emergency procedures, such as cricothyroidotomy, chest drain, intraosseous puncture or even on-field-amputation, are often unavoidable, when indicated, and present a major challenge for the emergency physician. Personal, temporal or local conditions are often unsuitable. Even with regular intervention by the emergency medical service, "last resort" measures occur very infrequently, particularly in relation to paediatric emergencies. Beside a theoretical education, practice-oriented course concepts are necessary to achieve a high quality of these measures. This article presents the use of decompression of the pleura on adults and children, with reference to indication, implementation, problems and risks. It is the second part of a series of four articles on the subject of invasive emergency techniques.

[Invasive emergency techniques--cricothyroidotomy]. / Invasive Notfalltechniken--Die Koniotomie.

On-scene invasive emergency procedures, such as cricothyroidotomy, chest drain, intraosseous puncture or even on-field-amputation, are often unavoidable, when indicated, and present a major challenge for the emergency physician. Personal, temporal or local conditions are often unsuitable. Even with regular intervention by the emergency medical service, "last resort" measures occur very infrequently, particularly in relation to paediatric emergencies. As well as theoretical training, practice-oriented course concepts are essential in order to achieve high quality in these procedures. This article presents the use of cricothyroidotomy on adults and children, with reference to indication, implementation, problems and risks. It is part of a series of four articles on the subject of invasive emergency techniques.

[Anaesthesia under unfavorable conditions - rescue helicopter]. / Anästhesie in anästhesiefeindlicher Umgebung - Tätigkeitsfeld Rettungshubschrauber.

Rescue helicopters are used for emergency care and transport of emergency patients. The dimension of the cabin is clearly limited. A transport is carried out under spatial narrowness and high noise levels. Acoustic alarms or noises caused by the patient are hardly to be perceived, so that the view at optical alarms is necessary. Environmental conditions affect the concentration on the patient. Rearrangement maneuvers represent the most critical phases. Always the whole apparative monitoring and respirator must be in the field of view of the emergency doctor, drugs to the care must be handy to be quickly administered, the quantity of oxygen has to be observed. Infusions and option of airway management are ready to set in advance. Standardized work with the aid of algorithms and knowledge of treatment recommendations and guidelines help to prevent errors. To optimize the care of emergency patients, special training courses for the crew of rescue helicopters are offered. A training simulator to practice different scenarios and the establishment of a CIRS system are recommended.

[Case Report: prehospital treatment on a major injured motorcycle driver]. / Kasuistik interaktiv: Verkehrsunfall - Präklinische Versorgung eines polytraumatisierten Motorradfahrers.

This case report describes the prehospital care of a 42-year-old person damaged by a severe motorcycle accident in a rural scene. The injured person was unconscious, one pupil was dilated and rib fractures were palpable. Purposeful therapy without delay was necessary. The prehospital therapy took 35 minutes in total. The time benefit by using a rescue helicopter is illustrated: time to initial treatment is minimized and duration of transport as well - direct transport to a trauma center is possible.

[Amputation of upper extremity: a case report - preclinical care of an 37 year old man]. / Kasuistik interaktiv: Amputation - Spektakuläre Verletzung, unkomplizierte Versorgung.

This case report describes the prehospital care of a person after an occupational accident. The amputation of whole extremities is rare and needs a standardized procedure: at first lifesaving procedures are necessary before saving the limb. The work at a conveyor belt resulted in taking of an arm. On the basis of this case report the prehospital management is discussed focalizing the complete treatment of the patient and his amputated extremity as well as the transport from the scene of accident to a suitable hospital.

[Case report: severe hypothermia in a newborn infant - challenges in preclinical emergency medicine]. / Kasuistik interaktiv: Neugeborenes mit schwerer Hypothermie - Eine notärztliche Herausforderung.

On the basis of a case report the prehospital management of a newborn child with deep accidental hypothermia (22oC) is discussed. The child was found in a garbage can. The continuous resuscitation during the transport into the clinic is done in an incubator and the child survives without neurologic damages. The used measures of the resuscitation are discussed on the basis of the therapy.

[Case report: prehospital therapy of the severely burned patient]. / Kasuistik interaktiv: grossflächige Verbrühung - Das Einmaleins der Brandverletzten-Versorgung.

On the basis of a case report the prehospital management of severely burned patients is discussed. The prevention of hypovolemia, hypothermia or hypoxemia are the primary targets. It is necessary to estimate the burn size and depth. The burn shock fluid resuscitation, prevention of hypothermia, pain- and airway management are described as well as the transport from the scene of accident to a proximal emergency unit or to a specialized burn intensive care unit.

[Case report: severe polytrauma after traffic accident]. / Kasuistik interaktiv: Schwerer Verkehrsunfall--Eingeklemmt, und die Zeit läuft.

This case report describes the prehospital care of a person with severe polytrauma due to being jammed in a vehicle in a traffic accident. After understanding the forces involved in causing the trauma, the therapy of impaired vital functions is demonstrated with particular regard to time management. Use of a rescue helicopter allowed for minimizing the delay to initial treatment as well as the duration of transport.

Comparison of different airway management strategies to ventilate apneic, nonpreoxygenated patients.

OBJECTIVE: Endotracheal intubation is the gold standard for providing emergency ventilation, but acquiring and maintaining intubation skills may be difficult. Recent reports indicate that even in urban emergency medical services with a high call volume, esophageal intubations were observed, requiring either perfect intubation skills or development of alternatives for emergency ventilation. DESIGN: Simulated emergency ventilation in apneic patients employing four different airway devices that used small tidal volumes. SETTING: University hospital operating room. SUBJECTS: Forty-eight ASA I/II patients who signed written informed consent before being enrolled into the study. INTERVENTIONS: In healthy adult patients without underlying respiratory or cardiac disease who were breathing room air before undergoing routine induction of surgery, 12 experienced professional paramedics inserted either a laryngeal mask airway (n = 12), Combitube (n = 12), or cuffed oropharyngeal airway (n = 12) or placed a face mask (n = 12) before providing ventilation with a pediatric (maximum volume, 700 mL) self-inflating bag with 100% oxygen for 3 mins. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: In three of 12 cuffed oropharyngeal airway patients, two of 12 laryngeal mask airway patients, and one of 12 Combitube patients, oxygen saturation fell below 90% during airway device insertion, and the experiment was terminated; no oxygenation failures occurred with the bag-valve-mask. Oxygen saturation decreased significantly (p <.05) during insertion of the Combitube and laryngeal mask but not with the bag-valve-mask and cuffed oropharyngeal airway; however, oxygen saturation increased after 1 min of ventilation with 100% oxygen. No differences in tidal lung volumes were observed between airway devices. CONCLUSIONS: Paramedics were able to employ the laryngeal mask airway, Combitube, and cuffed oropharyngeal airway in apneic patients with normal lung compliance and airways. In this population, bag-valve-mask ventilation was the most simple and successful strategy. Small tidal volumes applied with a pediatric self-inflating bag and 100% oxygen resulted in adequate oxygenation and ventilation.