Rapid sequence intubation in adults with elevated intracranial pressure: A survey of emergency medicine residency programs

Abstract

A questionnaire entitled “Survey of Protocols for Rapid Sequence Intubation in Previously Healthy Adults with Elevated Intracranial Pressure” was distributed to the program directors of all 100 emergency medicine residency programs listed in the Directory of Graduate Medical Education Programs in February 1995. The medical literature on rapid sequence intubation in patients with suspected intracranial pressure elevations was reviewed. The findings of the review were compared with the survey responses. Sixty-seven program directors responded to the survey. Sixty-five programs performed rapid sequence intubation in their institution. Five programs performed 0 to 10 procedures annually. Six performed 10 to 30 annually, 19 performed 30 to 50, 17 performed 50 to 100, and 18 performed more than 100. Succinylcholine and vecuronium were the most frequently used neuromuscular blockers. Midazolam and thiopental were the most frequently used sedative induction agents. Most programs use a defasciculating agent prior to succinylcholine administration. The majority of programs do not use a priming agent before the use of a nondepolarizing neuromuscular blocking agent. Intravenous lidocaine was routinely administered prior to neuromuscular blockade. Fentanyl was the most frequently used other pretreatment medication. Rapid sequence intubation is used to facilitate definitive, emergent airway management in patients with suspected intracranial pressure elevations in almost all of the emergency medicine residency programs that responded to the survey. Most of these programs follow the guidelines recommended in the medical literature. The majority of these guidelines, however, are based on statistical data performed in the laboratory or nonemergency environments. Further clinical studies in an emergency medicine environment must be performed to determine the optimal drug regimen for rapid sequence intubation in patients with elevated intracranial pressure.