Use of the Airtraq laryngoscope in a model of difficult intubation by prehospital providers not previously trained in laryngoscopy

• Published in: Anaesthesia 2007-10, Vol.62 (10), p.1061-1065
• Main Authors: Woollard, M., Mannion, W., Lighton, D., Johns, I., O'Meara, P., Cotton, C., Smyth, M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Anesthesia; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Clinical Competence; Emergency Medical Services - methods; Emergency Medical Services - standards; Emergency Medical Technicians - standards; Equipment Design; Female; Humans; Intubation, Intratracheal - instrumentation; Intubation, Intratracheal - methods; Intubation, Intratracheal - standards; Laryngoscopes; Male; Manikins; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; New South Wales; Prospective Studies
• ISSN: 0003-2409; 1365-2044
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2044.2007.05215.x

Summary This study evaluated the ability of prehospital providers who had no previous training in intubation, to use an Airtraq laryngoscope to intubate a manikin model of a Cormack and Lehane grade III/IV view. Volunteers attending the Australian College of Ambulance Professionals conference, Adelaide, in November 2006 received approximately 5 min of Airtraq training. First‐time intubation success rate was 26/33 (79%) (95% CI 61–91%); oesophageal intubation rate was 0/33 (0%) (95% CI 0–11%); median time to intubation was 17 s (IQR 10–25 s (range 5–30 s)); and median subject‐rated difficulty of use score was 21 out of a maximum of 100 (IQR 7.5–35.5 (range 1–65)). Pre‐hospital providers without previous laryngoscopy training achieved high first‐time intubation success rates when managing a model of a grade III/IV difficult intubation with an Airtraq laryngoscope. Users evaluated it as easy to use and achieved intubation within an acceptable breath‐to‐breath interval.