Bispectral index monitoring is useless during cardiac arrest patients' resuscitation.

AIM: It has been suggested that out-of-hospital bispectral (BIS) index monitoring during advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) might provide an indication of cerebral resuscitation. The aims of our study were to establish whether BIS values during ACLS might predict return to spontaneous circulation, and whether BIS values on hospital admission might predict survival. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a prospective observational study in 92 patients with cardiac arrest who received basic life support from a fire-fighter squad and ACLS on arrival of an emergency medical team on the scene. BIS values, electromyographic activity, and signal quality index were recorded throughout resuscitation and out-of-hospital management. RESULTS: Seven patients had recovered spontaneous cardiac activity by the time the medical team arrived on scene. Of the 92 patients, 62 patients died on scene and 30 patients returned to spontaneous cardiac activity and were admitted to hospital. The correlation between BIS values and end-tidal CO(2) during the first minutes of ACLS was poor (r(2)=0.02, P=0.19). Of the 30 admitted patients, 27 died. Three were discharged with no disabilities. There was no significant difference in BIS values on admission between the group of patients who died and the group who survived (P=0.78). CONCLUSIONS: Although BIS monitoring during resuscitation was not difficult, it did not predict return to spontaneous cardiac activity, nor survival after admission to intensive care. Its use to monitor cerebral function during ACLS is therefore pointless.

A comparison of plastic single-use with metallic reusable laryngoscope blades for out-of-hospital tracheal intubation.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to compare, in the emergency out-of-hospital environment, intubation success rates during the first laryngoscopy for 2 laryngoscope blade types: a metallic reusable and a plastic single-use. METHODS: An observational before-and-after study was conducted during 2 1-year periods. Adult patients were intubated by emergency physicians, anesthesiologists, or anesthesia nurses in the out-of-hospital setting with metallic reusable (first period) or a plastic disposable (second period) Macintosh 3 or 4 laryngoscope blades. Immediately after intubation, data were collected on success rate of intubation at the first attempt, intubation difficulty score, quality of laryngeal visualization, and the need for alternative airway techniques. To compare the 2 periods of the study, Wilcoxon's test was used for quantitative variables, and the chi2 or Fisher's exact test was used for qualitative variables. RESULTS: Patients intubated with a metallic blade (594/1,177; 50.5%) and with a plastic blade (583/1,177; 49.5%) were included in the study. The first-attempt intubation success rate was higher in the metallic blade group (497/594, 84%) than in the single-use group (76%); difference 7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 3% to 12%) (P<.002). The incidence of difficult intubation, defined by an intubation difficulty score greater than 5, was lower (6% [95% CI 4% to 8%] versus 15% [95% CI 12% to 18%]) when metallic blades were used. A good laryngeal view (Cormack and Lehane classes I and II) was more frequently observed with metallic blade use (83% [95% CI 80% to 86%] versus 67% [95% CI 64% to 70%]). Alternative airway techniques such as the use of a Gum elastic bougie or an intubating laryngeal mask airway were more frequently used in the plastic blade period (12% [95% CI 10% to 14%] versus 4% [95% CI 2% to 6%]). CONCLUSION: In out-of-hospital emergency care, the use of a plastic disposable laryngoscope blade decreased the success rate of tracheal intubation at the first attempt performed by emergency care providers.