Invasive Airway Management Research Articles

Comparison of bougie-guided cricothyrotomy and traditional cricothyrotomy techniques in an obese 3D-printed surgical airway manikin: a randomized controlled study

BackgroundObesity is one of the conditions that may require invasive airway management. The effectiveness of invasive airway techniques in obesity is not fully understood, and there is no routinely recommended technique. This study aimed to compare the first attempt success rate, procedure time, and difficulty of traditional surgical cricothyrotomy and bougie-guided cricothyrotomy on a 3D-printed surgical airway manikin made obese using simple techniques.MethodsThe study was designed as a prospective randomized controlled study. The obese simulation was created with a 3D-printed surgical airway manikin and sponge layers. Bougie-guided cricothyrotomy and traditional cricothyrotomy techniques were taught to emergency residents, and they were asked to practice the technique on the designed manikin. The duration of the procedure for both techniques, the number of attempts, the success rate, and the difficulty scores of the techniques were recorded.ResultsA total of 24 residents were included in the study. As the first technique, 13 residents used bougie-guided cricothyrotomy. A total of 23 (95.8%) were successful with both techniques. In the traditional surgical cricothyrotomy, 7 (31.8%) residents were successful on the first attempt, while in the bougie-guided cricothyrotomy, 15 (68.2%) residents were successful on the first attempt (p = 0.020). In residents with less than 2 years of seniority, the mean difficulty score of the bougie-guided cricothyrotomy was lower (p = 0.024).ConclusionsThe success rate of the bougie-guided cricothyrotomy in the first attempt was higher than that of the traditional surgical technique. There was no statistically significant difference between the overall success rates and procedure times of both methods. The level of difficulty of the bougie-guided cricothyrotomy was found to be easier, especially for residents with less than two years of seniority.PresentationsThe manuscript has been presented 9th EurAsian Congress on Emergency Medicine (oral presentation) at the 9–12 November, 2023, Antalya, Turkey, and won the best oral abstract award at this congress.

Retrospective analysis of the resuscitation room management of nontraumatic critically ill children in a university emergency department (OBSERvE-DUS-PED study)

The establishment of a resuscitation room management for nontraumatic critically ill children appears to make sense. This study collected data of pediatric patients suffering from nontraumatic critically ill conditions treated in aresuscitation room. The retrospective OBSERvE-DUS-PED study (November 2019-October 2022) recorded pediatric patients (age < 18years) who were admitted to the emergency department (ED) for resuscitation room care. The routinely documented data on treatment were taken from the hospital information system MEDICO® and the patient data management system COPRA® in accordance with the OBSERvE dataset. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Medical Faculty of the Heinrich Heine University (2023-2377). The study included 52pediatric resuscitation room patients. Adolescents aged 14-17years were the most frequent in the cohort representing 37% of the total and neonates/infants (0-1year) were lowest at 8%. The most common symptoms categorized according to ABCDE problems were disturbance of consciousness(D) at 61%, cardiovascular failure(C) at 25%, respiratory insufficiency(B) at 6%, airway obstruction(A) and exposure/environment (E) problems each at 4%. The out-of-hospital and in-hospital emergency procedures were performed with the following frequencies: venous (58%vs. 65%), intraosseous (14%vs. 2%) and central venous access (0%vs. 12%), invasive airway management (35% vs.8%), cardiopulmonary resuscitation (21%vs. 10%), vasopressors (15%vs. 17%), and intra-arterial pressure measurement (0%vs. 17%). The mean duration of resuscitation room management was 70 ± 43 min. The 30-day mortality was 17%. The OBSERvE-DUS-PED study demonstrates the major challenges in the care of critically ill nontraumatic pediatric patients, both in out-of-hospital and in-hospital management. The variety and complexity of the referral diagnoses as well as the immediate vital threat to the patients make it appear sensible to treat such patients primarily in aresuscitation room of the ED due to the available material, infrastructural and personnel resources.

Quality and safety in prehospital airway management – retrospective analysis of 18,000 cases from an air rescue database in Germany

BackgroundPrehospital airway management remains crucial with regard to the quality and safety of emergency medical service (EMS) systems worldwide. In 2007, the benchmark study by Timmermann et al. hit the German EMS community hard by revealing a significant rate of undetected oesophageal intubations leading to an often-fatal outcome. Since then, much attention has been given to guideline development and training. This study evaluated the incidence and special circumstances of tube misplacement as an adverse peri-intubation event from a Helicopter Emergency Medical Services perspective.MethodsThis was a retrospective analysis of a German helicopter-based EMS database from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2020. All registered patients were included in the primary analysis. The results were analysed using SPSS 27.0.1.0.ResultsOut of 227,459 emergency medical responses overall, a total of 18,087 (8.0%) involved invasive airway management. In 8141 (45.0%) of these patients, airway management devices were used by ground-based EMS staff, with an intubation rate of 96.6% (n = 7861), and alternative airways were used in 3.2% (n = 285). Overall, the rate of endotracheal intubation success was 94.7%, while adverse events in the form of tube misplacement were present in 5.3%, with a 1.2% rate of undetected oesophageal intubation. Overall tube misplacement and undetected oesophageal intubation occurred more often after intubation was carried out by paramedics (10.4% and 3.6%, respectively). In view of special circumstances, those errors occurred more often in the presence of trauma or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, with rates of 5.6% and 6.4%, respectively. Difficult airways with a Cormack 4 status were present in 2.1% (n = 213) of HEMS patients, accompanied by three or more intubation attempts in 5.2% (n = 11).ConclusionsPrehospital airway management success has improved significantly in recent years. However, adverse peri-intubation events such as undetected oesophageal intubation remain a persistent threat to patient safety.Trial registrationThe study was registered in the German Register for Clinical Studies (number DRKS00028068).

Near-miss Tracheal Stenosis Secondary to Acute Intubation

ABSTRACT Tracheal stenosis is a rare and life-threatening condition. If left undiagnosed, this can lead to failed intubation, surgery postponement, or additional invasive airway management. A high index of suspicion from attending anesthesiologists due to inconsistencies between patient’s symptoms and diagnostics could lead to a more accurate diagnosis and management. This is a case of a 24-year-old female with difficulty breathing who was initially assessed as a case of glottic mass. The dilemma between the patient’s presentation and the preidentified airway obstruction led the anesthesiologist to do further investigation. A quick upper airway evaluation was done using the flexible fiber-optic scope which unexpectedly showed a 70%–80% circumferential subglottic stenosis. Management was henceforth changed to tracheal resection and reconstruction to address this new finding. Meticulous planning, preparation, and transdisciplinary approach of communication with the surgical team alongside detailed knowledge are probably the most important factors in the management of tracheal stenosis.

Ultrasound-Guided Dorsal Penile Nerve Block in Children: An Anatomical-Based Observational Study of a New Anesthesia Technique.

Dorsal penile nerve block stands out as one of the commonly employed regional anesthetic techniques in children. Despite the large body of experience, failure rates are still significant. We included 20 children (median (SD) age of 73 (31) months) scheduled for circumcision without general anesthesia and secondary airway manipulation in a consecutive case series. Under ultrasound guidance and utilizing an in-plane needle guidance technique, the dorsal penile nerve block was administered with slight sedation, and spontaneous respiration was maintained in all cases. To investigate the underlying anatomy for dorsal penile nerve blockade, we dissected three cadavers. The primary study endpoint was the success rate of surgical blockade, meaning that the surgical procedure could be performed without additional general anesthesia and invasive airway management. The secondary endpoint was the requirement of analgesics until discharge from the post-anesthesia care unit. The primary endpoint was successfully met in all patients according to our strict definition without additional general anesthesia or airway manipulation. In addition, no child received analgesics until discharge from the recovery room. The anatomical investigation clarified the specific anatomy as baseline knowledge for an ultrasound-guided dorsal penile nerve blockade and enabled successful performance in 20 consecutive children where penile surgery was possible in light sedation without additional airway manipulation.

MANAGEMENT OF CONGENITAL BILATERAL ABDUCTOR VOCAL CORD PALSY FOR TRACHEOSTOMY IN A NEONATE

Bilateral abductor vocal cord palsy is very rare, and is still the second most common cause of congenital stridor in neonates. It can also cause breathing difficulty and cyanosis in neonates during increased crying spells, and hence eventually might require invasive airway management. This is a case report of a 7-day old neonate posted for tracheostomy under general anaesthesia.

Resuscitation room management of patients with non-traumatic critical illness in the emergency department (OBSERvE-DUS-study)

BackgroundFew studies address the care of critically ill non-traumatic patients in the emergency department (ED). The aim of this study was to assess the epidemiology, management, and outcome of these patients.MethodsIn this retrospective study, we identified and analyzed data from all consecutive adult critically ill non-traumatic ED patients treated from March 2018 to February 2019. Patient characteristics, major complaint leading to admission, out-of-hospital, and in-hospital interventions and 30-day mortality were extracted from medical records of the electronic patient data management system.ResultsDuring the study period, we analyzed 40,764 patients admitted to the ED. Of these, 621 (1.5%) critically ill non-traumatic patients were admitted for life-threatening emergencies to the resuscitation room (age: 70 ± 16 years, 52% male). Leading problem on admission was disability/unconsciousness (D), shock (C), respiratory failure (B), airway obstruction (A), and environment problems (E) in 41%, 31%, 25%, 2%, and 1%, respectively. Out-of-hospital and in-hospital measures included: intravenous access (61% vs. 99%), 12-lead ECG (55% vs. 87%), invasive airway management (21% vs. 34%) invasive ventilation (21% vs. 34%), catecholamines (9% vs. 30%), arterial access (0% vs. 52%), and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (11% vs. 6%). The underlying diagnoses were mainly neurological (29%), followed by cardiological (28%), and pulmonological (20%) emergencies. The mean length of stay (LOS) in the resuscitation room and ED was 123 ± 122 and 415 ± 479 min, respectively. The 30-day mortality was 18.5%.ConclusionThe data describe the care of critically ill non-traumatic patients in the resuscitation room. Based on these data, algorithms for the structured care of critically ill non-traumatic patients need to be developed.

Assessment of Emergency Medical Services Personnel Compliance with Escalating Airway Algorithm Protocol.

When emergency medical services (EMS) personnel respond to emergencies, the decisions they make often can mean life or death for the patient. This is especially true in the case of advanced airway management. Protocols are set in place to ensure that the least invasive airway management techniques are used initially before more invasive techniques. The purpose of this study was to determine how often EMS personnel followed this protocol, while adequately achieving the goals of appropriate oxygenation and ventilation. This retrospective chart review was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the University of Kansas Medical Center. The authors reviewed the Wichita/Sedgewick County EMS system for cases during 2017 in which patients required airway support. We examined de-identified data to determine if invasive methods were applied in sequence. Cohen's kappa coefficient (κ) and immersion-crystallization approach were used to analyze the data. A total of 279 cases were identified in which EMS personnel used advanced airway management techniques. In 90% (n = 251) of cases, less invasive techniques were not used prior to more invasive techniques and in 80% (n = 222) of cases, the more invasive technique was used alone. A dirty airway was the most common reason for the EMS personnel's choice of using more invasive approaches in achieving the goals of appropriate oxygenation and ventilation. Our data showed that EMS personnel in Sedgwick County/Wichita, Kansas often deviated from the advanced airway management protocols when caring for patients in need of respiratory intervention. Dirty airway was the main reason for using a more invasive approach in achieving the goals of appropriate oxygenation and ventilation. It is important to understand reasons why deviations in protocol were occurring to ensure that current protocols, documentation, and training practices are effective in producing the best possible patient outcomes.

TREATMENT OF SUBGLOTTIC STENOSIS: A SINGLE INSTITUTION EXPERIENCE.

The aim of this article is to present experiences of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery, Zagreb University Hospital Center with the treatment of patients with subglottic stenosis. Subglottic stenosis is a rare congenital or acquired disorder of airway patency that is part of a wider complex of disorders known as laryngotracheal stenosis with the ultimate effect in the form of respiratory insufficiency that can be life-threatening. As an acquired condition, it is most often the result of iatrogenic damage to the larynx and trachea during invasive airway management, whether it is intubation or tracheotomy. In the case of intubation as the etiologic factor, cases of prolonged intubation were most common. Retrospective analysis of patient medical histories over a ten-year period was performed and 29 patients met the inclusion criteria. All patients were monitored for at least two years after completion of treatment. Out of a total of 29 treated patients, 20 were permanently decannulated, of which 4 have paresis of one or both vocal cords. In conclusion, there is no clear treatment protocol for patients with subglottic stenosis. The optimal modality of treatment is combined endoscopic and open surgical treatment.

Pre-hospital Prognostic Factors of 30-Day Survival in Sepsis Patients; a Retrospective Cohort Study.

According to excising findings, if the emergency management system (EMS) operation will be developed, the survival outcome of sepsis patients might improve. This study aimed to evaluate the pre-hospital associated factors of survival in sepsis patients. This retrospective cohort study was conducted on patients diagnosed with sepsis, coded with the Thailand emergency medical triage protocol and criteria-based dispatch symptom group 17. Information on the 30-day survival rate of patients was obtained from the electronic medical records. Pre-hospital factors associated with 30-day survival were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses and were reported using odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). 300 patients diagnosed with sepsis were enrolled. Among them, 232 (77.3%) survived within 30 days. Non-survived cases had significantly older age (p = 0.019), lower oxygen saturations (92.5% vs. 95.0%; p = 0.003), higher heart rate (p = 0.001), higher respiratory rate (p < 0.001), lower level of consciousness (p < 0.001), higher disease severity based on qSOFA score (p = 0.001), and higher need for invasive airway management (p = 0.001) and supplementary oxygen (p = 0.001). The survival rate improved by 3.5% with every 1% increase in pre-hospital oxygen saturation (adjusted OR = 1.035, 95% CI: 1.005-1.066, p = 0.020) and the survival probabilities of patients who responded to voice (adjusted OR = 0.170, 95% CI: 0.050-0.579, p = 0.005), those who responded to pain (adjusted OR = 0.130, 95% CI: 0.036-0.475, p = 0.002), and those who were unresponsive (adjusted OR = 0.086, 95% CI: 0.026-0.278, p-value < 0.001) were lower than patients who were alert. The 30-day survival rate of patients with sepsis managed by the EMS team was 77.3%. Pre-hospital oxygen saturation and level of consciousness were associated with the survival of patients with sepsis who were managed in the pre-hospital setting.

942: SUGAR-COATING ANGIOEDEMA: RAPID REDUCTION OF TONGUE SWELLING BY TOPICAL SUCROSE APPLICATION

Introduction: Medication-induced angioedema can result in rapid tongue swelling and airway compromise. Endotracheal intubation is frequently required in severe cases and extubation is attempted only when swelling has resolved. The duration for resolution of tongue swelling is highly variable. Mechanisms to reduce swelling include discontinuation of the offending agent. Here we review three cases of medication-induced angioedema where application of granulated sugar on the tongue was used as a mechanism to rapidly reduce swelling. Description: We describe three patients seen in 2021-22 for angioedema in our ICU. Patient 1 is a 51 y-o woman who was intubated for airway protection for acute ischemic stroke. She had massive swelling of her tongue 2 days after intubation. Offending agent was alteplase. Patient 2 is a 63 y-o man who presented with acute rapidly progressive tongue swelling due to Lisinopril and was intubated. Patient 3 is a 52 y-o woman with type B thoracic aortic dissection and hypertension who developed angioedema 8 hours into esmolol and nicardipine infusions. In addition to standard care for all, the following technique was applied: The tongue was layered with granulated sugar obtained from 8 to 10 small packets by placing it on gauze and wrapping it circumferentially around the tongue. This wrap was kept in place by a petroleum-jelly (Vaseline) gauze. All patient had rapid reduction of tongue swelling. Complete resolution of tongue swelling defined as ability to see lower soft palate, entire uvula and tonsillar pillars as well as ability to close the mouth, was seen in 24 hours for patient 1, 9 hours for patient 2 and 8 hours for patient 3. Patient 1 and 2 were extubated the same day and patient 3 was never intubated. Discussion: Topical application of granulated sugar reduces tissue edema by creating an osmotic gradient and thereby decreasing interstitial fluid. We hypothesized that the principle applicable to reduction of incarcerated rectal prolapse and stoma can be applied to angioedema. Lack of tongue protrusion from the mouth and the ability to visualize the palate may indicate that the risk of airway compromise is markedly reduced. The desiccating effect of sucrose rapidly reduced the duration or need of invasive airway management and may be an effective adjunct for angioedema.

Tracheostomy without mechanical ventilation in patients with traumatic brain injury at a tertiary referral hospital in Malawi: a cross sectional study.

Tracheostomy alone, without mechanical ventilation, has been advocated to maintain a free airway in patients with traumatic brain injury in low-income settings with minimal critical care capacity. However, no reports exist on the outcomes of this strategy. We examine the results of this practice at a central hospital in Malawi. This is a retrospective review of medical records and prospectively gathered trauma surveillance data of patients admitted to Kamuzu Central Hospital, with traumatic brain injury from January 2010 to December 2015. In-hospital mortality rates were examined according to registered traumatic brain injury severity and airway management. In our analysis, 1875 of 2051 registered traumatic brain injury patients were included; 83.3% were male, mean age 32.6 (SD 12.9) years. 14.2% (n=267) of the patients had invasive airway management (endotracheal tube or tracheostomy) with or without mechanical ventilation. Mortality in severe traumatic brain injury treated with tracheostomy without mechanical ventilation was 42% (10/24) compared to 21% (14/68) in patients treated without intubation or tracheostomy (p= 0.043). Tracheostomies had an overall complication rate of 11%. Tracheostomy without mechanical ventilation in severe traumatic brain injury did not improve survival outcomes in our setting. Tracheostomy for severe traumatic brain injury cannot be recommended when mechanical ventilation is not available unless there are sufficient specialized human resources for follow up in the ward. Efforts to improve critical care facilities and human resource capacity to allow proper use of mechanical ventilation in severe traumatic brain injury should be a high priority in low-income countries where the burden of trauma is high.

Airway management procedures in Swedish emergency department patients - a national retrospective study

BackgroundWith the on-going debate about which specialty should be responsible for intubations in the emergency department in mind, the aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of endotracheal intubation and other airway management procedures in emergency department patients in Sweden.MethodsAll patients registered in the Swedish Intensive Care Registry with admission date from January 1 2013 until June 7 2018 and reported admission type “from the emergency department” or “emergency department” reported in the SAPS3 scoring were included. All patients missing codes for procedures were excluded.ResultsA total of 110,072 admissions from an emergency department to an ICU were registered during the study period. Of these, 41,619 admissions (37.8%) were excluded due to lack of codes for medical procedures. The remaining 68,453 admissions (62.2%) were included, and 31,888 emergency airway procedures (within 3 h from admission time to the intensive care unit) were registered. Invasive emergency airway procedures were the most common type of airway procedure (n = 23,446), followed by non-invasive airway procedures (n = 8377) and high-flow nasal cannula (n = 880). In 2017 a total of 4720 invasive emergency airway management procedures were registered.ConclusionsThe frequency of invasive airway management procedures in Swedish EDs is low. With approximately 1.9 million adult ED visits per year, this gives an estimated incidence of 2.4 invasive airway management procedures per thousand ED visits in 2017.Trial registrationNot applicable.

Risk factor analysis and outcomes of airway management in antenatally diagnosed cervical masses

PurposeTo investigate antenatally-determined imaging characteristics associated with invasive airway management at birth in patients with cervical masses, as well as to describe postnatal management and outcomes. Study designA retrospective analysis of 52 patients with antenatally diagnosed neck masses was performed using single-center data from January 2008 to January 2019. Antenatal imaging, method of delivery, management, and outcomes data were abstracted from the medical record and analyzed. ResultsAntenatal diagnosis of neck masses in this cohort consisted of 41 lymphatic malformations (78.8%), 6 teratomas (11.5%), 3 hemangiomas (5.8%), 1 hemangioendothelioma (1.9%), and 1 giant foregut duplication cyst (1.9%). Mean gestational age at time of diagnostic imaging was 29 weeks 3 days (range: 19w4d – 37w). Overall, 22 patients (42.3%) required invasive airway management at birth, specifically 18 patients (34.6%) required endotracheal intubation and 4 (7.7%) required tracheostomy. 15 patients (28.8%) underwent ex-utero intrapartum treatment (EXIT) for the purposes of securing an airway. Polyhydramnios, tracheal deviation and compression, and anterior mass location on antenatal imaging were significantly associated with incidence of invasive airway intervention at birth, EXIT procedure, and tracheostomy during the neonatal hospitalization (p < 0.025; Fisher's exact test). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated statistically significant association between increasing antenatally-estimated mass volume and incidence of invasive airway management at birth (p = 0.02). Post-natal cervical mass management involved surgical excision (32.7%), sclerotherapy (50%), and adjuvant therapy with rapamycin (17.3%). Demise in the neonatal period occurred in 4 (7.7%) patients. ConclusionThis series documents the largest single-center experience of airway management in antenatally diagnosed cervical masses. Fetal imaging characteristics may help inform the appropriate method of delivery, airway management strategy at birth, and prenatal counseling.

Early recognition and critical management of adult epiglottitis in the emergency department: a case report and review of the literature

Background: Acute epiglottitis was considered a disease of the pediatric population. However, it has constantly been a report of a certain number of adult cases. Death by airway obstruction is caused by delayed diagnosis and untimely invasive airway management contributing to the higher mortality rate in adults. Case presentation: We presented a case of a 24-year-old male patient without significant underlying condition, who presented at our emergency department with a progressive sore throat and high-graded fever for one day. After a set of investigations, the patient was diagnosed with acute epiglottitis, and airway management was managed accordingly. His conditions improved after a course of antibiotic treatment during hospital admission. Conclusion: Acute epiglottitis in adults is not frequently encountered in the emergency department. This case underlines the importance of clinical suspicions in cases with consistent symptoms as well as the excellent utility of lateral neck radiography for the diagnosis of this life-threatening entity.

Scoring system for selective tracheostomy in head and neck surgery with free flap reconstruction.

Selective tracheostomy is an effective but invasive airway management method for patients undergoing head and neck free flap reconstruction. Studies have shown that not all patients need tracheostomy. Several systems evaluating the need for tracheostomy have been proposed, but none is used clinically. A total of 533 cases underwent head and neck free flap reconstruction at Peking University School of Stomatology were reviewed for system development. Another 131 cases undergone the same surgery were included for system verification. Patients' demographic and surgical-related information were analyzed. A total of 321 cases in the development cohort and 68 cases in the system cohort underwent tracheostomy. The score was estimated: score = ∑(|log2 OR|). Patients scoring >3 required tracheostomy, those scoring <2 should avoid tracheostomy, and those scoring 2 or 3 need further evaluation. This scoring system can help determine the need for selective tracheostomy in patients undergoing head and neck free flap reconstruction.

The Impact of Intraoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging on Patient Safety Management During Awake Craniotomy.

Awake craniotomy paired with intraoperative magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) is now the established technique for maximizing surgical resection, while preserving neurological function. However, leaving an unsecured airway patient in the iMRI gantry represents considerable risk. Our study aimed at identifying the incidence of critical adverse events in unsecured airway patients during iMRI as part of awake craniotomy. We conducted a clinical chart review of consecutive awake craniotomies performed between November 1999 and December 2015. Sequences of iMRI performed without invasive airway management were selected for assessment and the incidence of critical adverse events, including general convulsive seizure, respiratory arrest, nausea/vomiting and agitation, was identified. Critical adverse events occurred in 21 of 356 unsecured airway patients within 24 of the 579 iMRI sequences. In cases using the low-field strength open MRI scanner, emergency termination of scans due to patient decline was recorded in only 4 cases: no cases of cardiac arrest, accidental death, or thermal injury were recorded. Compared with cardiovascular monitoring, patient respiratory status was poorly recorded. In terms of anesthesia, concurrent use of iMRI for awake craniotomy is clinically acceptable providing potential intraoperative complications can be controlled. Further, the configuration of the iMRI scanner as well as the reduced exposure from the lower magnetic field strength was found to impact patient safety management. Therefore when a conscious patient is left in the gantry without airway support, it is advisable that levels of oxygenation and ventilation should be monitored at all times.

Resuscitation room management of critically ill nontraumatic patients in a German emergency department (OBSERvE-study).

Management of critically ill nontrauma (CINT) patients in the resuscitation room (RR) of the emergency department (ED) is very challenging. Detailed data describing the characteristics and management of this population are lacking. This observational study describes the epidemiology, management and outcome in CINT ED patients in the RR. From September 2014 to August 2015, data were collected prospectively on adult CINT patients admitted to the RR of a single German University ED. Patient characteristics, out-of-hospital/in-hospital treatment, admission-related diseases, time intervals for diagnostics and interventions plus outcome were recorded using a self-developed questionnaire. A total of 34 303 patients were admitted to the ED; of these 21 074 patients were admitted for nontrauma emergencies and because of acute life-threatening problems. Five hundred and thirty-two CINT patients were admitted to the RR (median age: 71 years, 58.3% men). The main problems on admission were obstructed airway (3.8%, A), respiratory insufficiency (26.5%, B), shock (35.5%, C), unconsciousness (33.3%, D) or other (0.9%, E). Out-of-hospital and in-hospital management included intravenous access (96.8 vs. 76.9%), 12-lead ECG (50.0 vs. 86.5%), invasive airway management (30.1 vs. 27.1%), noninvasive and invasive ventilation (7.0 vs. 16.4% and 30.1 vs. 57.2%), catecholamines (16.2 vs. 24.1%), arterial line (0.2 vs. 58.1%) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (18.4 vs. 12.2%). The mean length of stay was 34±24 min. At day 30, all-cause mortality was 34.2% (patients with and without cardiopulmonary resuscitation: 72.7 vs. 24.0%, P<0.001). Observation of critically ill patients in the resuscitation room of the Emergency Department shows the challenge of care for CINT patients in the ED. With high levels of mortality, there is an urgent need for structured ED management guidelines.

Difficult airway management patterns among anesthesiologists practicing in Cairo University Hospitals

Study objectivesThis study was designed to evaluate how the anesthesiologists in Cairo University Hospitals are adherent in their practice to the latest ASA guidelines for management of difficult airway in order to stand on the current status and establish a basis for improvement.MethodsThis is a survey study included 190 anesthesiologists from the faculty members of Cairo university hospitals. All of them completed the study questionnaire.Main resultsA 77.9% of the responders admitted their use of the ASA Algorithm during their practice. For anticipated difficult airway, 74% would employ regional anesthesia as first choice while 52% and 54% would use Supraglottic airway devices and awake Fiberoptic respectively. For unanticipated failed intubation with adequate mask ventilation, 90% would use a supraglottic airway device as their first choice while 85% and 90% would wake up the patient, perform awake fiberoptic intubation and make an emergency invasive airway access respectively. For failed intubation with difficult/impossible mask ventilation, 87% would use a supraglottic airway device while 51% and 28% would perform needle cricothyroidotomy and percutaneous tracheostomy respectively. Awake fiberoptic intubation and intubation with direct laryngoscope using intravenous induction and succinylcholine were the most frequently used techniques in different clinical scenarios.ConclusionThe practice of anesthesiologists in Cairo university hospitals is close to the recommendations of the ASA guidelines for management of difficult airway. There is increased skills in fiberoptic bronchoscopes and SGA with increased frequency of difficult airway managements training courses; however, they need to improve their skills in awake fiberoptic intubations technique and they need to be trained on invasive airway management access to close the discrepancy between their theoretical choices in different situations and their actual skills.

107 The FLAMBE (Factors Leading to Airway Management in Burn Emergencies)

It is commonly taught that inhalation injuries require rapid invasive airway management. Previous studies have reported that the mortality rate associated with inhalational injuries is 45-78% and that the risk of mortality is 20% higher in patients with combined inhalation injury and cutaneous burns than in those with cutaneous burns alone. Although these statistics are alarming, they may not be applicable to all patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with inhalational injuries. Numerous indications for invasive airway management have been documented in the literature ranging from cyanosis and stridor to full thickness burns of the face. The indications for invasive airway management and the definition of inhalation injury share distinct similarities. This coincides with the common teaching that all patients with inhalation injuries require invasive airway management; however, there is little data supporting this invasive strategy. No study has included nasopharyngeal irritation, singed eyebrows, singed nasal hairs, or soot in the proximal airway as an indication for intubation. There is no data on patients presenting to the ED or trauma bay with these findings regarding the necessity of invasive airway management. To date there are no retrospective studies identifying the presence or absence of the study indications for intubation in patients presenting to the emergency department or trauma bay with suspected inhalational injuries. We believe that this data will help in risk stratifying this patient population and avoid unnecessary invasive airway management and intensive care unit (ICU) admission. Invasive airway management has known complications in burn patients, including increasing the incidence of nosocomial pneumonia, damage to the airway resulting in tracheal stenosis, and secondary complications related to sedation. This data may allow us to develop a clinical prediction score for invasive airway management and test this score prospectively in the ED. This is a retrospective chart review evaluation of a cohort of patients presenting to the UCSD emergency department or trauma bay with inhalational injury and facial burns. These patients will be identified via ICD-9 codes. Exclusion criteria include any patient that did not present to the ED or trauma bay, and any patient without the potential ICD-9 diagnosis. The presence of study indications for intubation will be evaluated. Thus far 45 patients who presented to the UCSD emergency department or trauma bay with inhalation injury and/or facial burn were analyzed. Preliminary data is showing only three of the patients from this cohort required endotracheal intubation while 12 presented with clear indication for intubation, and 12 presented with the aforementioned study indications for intubation. Over 70% of patients with clearly established indications for intubation, as well as over 70% of patients the study indications for intubation avoided an expected airway intervention. This discrepancy challenges the current dogma of invasive airway management in the face of inhalation injury and facial burn, and suggests that clinic gestalt trumps the studied indications for intubation.