Abstract
BackgroundEmergency cricothyrotomy is a critical, yet infrequently performed and time-sensitive procedure that requires practice in order to be reliably completed in emergent airway situations. Many physicians never have the opportunity to practice this rarely performed but highly impactful procedure during their training due to a lack of an affordable, high-fidelity training model. In this study, the educational impact and realism of a new synthetic cricothyrotomy training model (high-fidelity emergency cricothyrotomy, HiFEC) were compared with those of a standard porcine explant model.MethodologyA total of thirty-one attending physicians from four medical specialties were recruited on a volunteer basis to participate in a cricothyrotomy simulation workshop. Participants were randomly assigned to complete the initial workshop using one of the two models but had the opportunity to practice on both trainers. Pre- and post-workshop comfort level as well as the realism of the models were surveyed using questionnaires and evaluated using a five-point Likert scale.ResultsImprovements in self-reported comfort levels were seen in both the porcine group (p = 0.0014) and HiFEC group (p = 0.0036) as well as overall (p < 0.001). The realism rating of both training models was similar with a median score of 4 on a five-point Likert scale. When comparing the cost of conducting our workshop using these models, the synthetic model saved over $650.ConclusionsGiven the similar realism of the models and the improvement in participant comfort level, the synthetic HiFEC trainer is an effective and more affordable alternative training model for emergency cricothyrotomies.
Highlights
The realism rating of both training models was similar with a median score of 4 on a five-point Likert scale
Difficult airway management is a critical skill for physicians in operating rooms, emergency departments (ED), and intensive care units (ICU) [1,2]
One survey found that 48% of graduating emergency medicine residents had witnessed a cricothyrotomy and only 22% of emergency medicine graduates had performed a cricothyrotomy on a living patient [8]
Summary
Difficult airway management is a critical skill for physicians in operating rooms, emergency departments (ED), and intensive care units (ICU) [1,2]. Emergency cricothyrotomy is a timesensitive procedure that is rarely performed, but its correct execution is of critical importance when needed. It requires practice and preparation in order to be reliably performed in emergent airway situations. Emergency cricothyrotomy is a critical, yet infrequently performed and time-sensitive procedure that requires practice in order to be reliably completed in emergent airway situations. Many physicians never have the opportunity to practice this rarely performed but highly impactful procedure during their training due to a lack of an affordable, high-fidelity training model. The educational impact and realism of a new synthetic cricothyrotomy training model (high-fidelity emergency cricothyrotomy, HiFEC) were compared with those of a standard porcine explant model
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