Endotracheal intubation versus supraglottic airway placement in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A meta-analysis

Scandinavian SSAI clinical practice guideline on pre-hospital airway management

Background

The Scandinavian society of anaesthesiology and intensive care medicine task force on pre‐hospital airway management was asked to formulate recommendations following standards for trustworthy clinical practice guidelines.

Methods

The literature was systematically reviewed and the grading of recommendations assessment, development and evaluation (GRADE) system was applied to move from evidence to recommendations.

Results

We recommend that all emergency medical service (EMS) providers consider to: apply basic airway manoeuvres and airway adjuncts (good practice recommendation); turn unconscious non‐trauma patients into the recovery position when advanced airway management is unavailable (good practice recommendation); turn unconscious trauma patients to the lateral trauma position while maintaining spinal alignment when advanced airway management is unavailable [strong recommendation, low quality of evidence (QoE)]. We suggest that intermediately trained providers use a supraglottic airway device (SAD) or basic airway manoeuvres on patients in cardiac arrest (weak recommendation, low QoE). We recommend that advanced trained providers consider using an SAD in selected indications or as a rescue device after failed endotracheal intubation (ETI) (good practice recommendation). We recommend that ETI should only be performed by advanced trained providers (strong recommendation, low QoE). We suggest that videolaryngoscopy is considered for ETI when direct laryngoscopy fails or is expected to be difficult (weak recommendation, low QoE). We suggest that advanced trained providers apply cricothyroidotomy in ‘cannot intubate, cannot ventilate’ situations (weak recommendation, low QoE).

Conclusion

This guideline for pre‐hospital airway management includes a combination of techniques applied in a stepwise fashion appropriate to patient clinical status and provider training.

The role of prehospital advanced airway management on outcomes for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients: a meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this meta-analysis was to compare the benefits of prehospital advanced airway management (AAM) and basic airway management (BAM) for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients.

METHODS

Two investigators performed a systematic review of PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Database to identify all peer-reviewed articles relevant to this meta-analysis. We included all articles describing emergency medical system-treated nontraumatic OHCAs; specifically, all articles that described intervention of the prehospital AAM type were considered. The primary outcome was survival to discharge, whereas the secondary outcome was neurologic recovery after an OHCA event. For subgroup analysis, we compared the clinical outcome of endotracheal intubation (ETI), a specific type of AAM, vs BAM.

RESULTS

We reviewed 1452 studies, 10 of which satisfied all the inclusion criteria and involved 17 380 patients subjected to AAM and 67 525 subjected to BAM. Based on the full random effects model, patients who received AAM had lower odds of survival (odds ratio [OR], 0.51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.29-0.90) compared with BAM. Subgroup analysis for ETI vs BAM showed no significant association with respect to survival (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.16-1.23). There were no significant differences in the odds of neurologic recovery between AAM and BAM (OR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.03-1.37).

CONCLUSIONS

Our results reveal decreased survival odds for OHCA patients treated with AAM by emergency medical service personnel compared with BAM. However, the role of prehospital AAM, especially ETI, on achieving neurologic recovery remains unclear.

Improving Survival From Cardiac Arrest: A Review of Contemporary Practice and Challenges

Cardiac arrest is a common and lethal condition frequently encountered by emergency medicine providers. Resuscitation of persons after cardiac arrest remains challenging, and outcomes remain poor overall. Successful resuscitation hinges on timely, high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The optimal method of providing chest compressions and ventilator support during cardiac arrest remains uncertain. Prompt and effective defibrillation of ventricular arrhythmias is one of the few effective therapies available for treatment of cardiac arrest. Despite numerous studies during several decades, no specific drug delivered during cardiac arrest has been shown to improve neurologically intact survival after cardiac arrest. Extracorporeal circulation can rescue a minority of highly selected patients with refractory cardiac arrest. Current management of pulseless electrical activity is associated with poor outcomes, but it is hoped that a more targeted diagnostic approach based on electrocardiography and bedside cardiac ultrasonography may improve survival. The evolution of postresuscitation care appears to have improved cardiac arrest outcomes in patients who are successfully resuscitated. The initial approach to early stabilization includes standard measures, such as support of pulmonary function, hemodynamic stabilization, and rapid diagnostic assessment. Coronary angiography is often indicated because of the high frequency of unstable coronary artery disease in comatose survivors of cardiac arrest and should be performed early after resuscitation. Optimizing and standardizing our current approach to cardiac arrest resuscitation and postresuscitation care will be essential for developing strategies for improving survival after cardiac arrest.

Video laryngoscopy vs. direct laryngoscopy: Which should be chosen for endotracheal intubation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation? A prospective randomized controlled study of experienced intubators

AIM

This study compared endotracheal intubation (ETI) performance during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) between direct laryngoscopy (DL) and video laryngoscopy (VL) (GlideScope(®)) by experienced intubators (>50 successful ETIs).

METHODS

This was a prospective randomized controlled study conducted in an emergency department between 2011 and 2013. Intubators who used DL or VL were randomly allocated to ETI during CPR. Data were collected from recorded video clips and rhythm sheets. The success, speed, complications, and chest compressions interruption were compared between the two devices.

RESULTS

Total 140 ETIs by experienced intubators using DL (n=69) and VL (n=71) were analysed. There were no significant differences between DL and VL in the ETI success rate (92.8% vs. 95.8%; p=0.490), first-attempt success rate (87.0% vs. 94.4%; p=0.204), and median time to complete ETI (51 [36-67] vs. 42 [34-62]s; p=0.143). In both groups, oesophageal intubation and dental injuries seldom occurred. However, longer chest compressions interruption occurred using DL (4.0 [1.0-11.0]s) compared with VL (0.0 [0.0-1.0]s) and frequent serious no-flow (interruption>10s) occurred with DL (18/69 [26.1%]) compared with VL (0/71) (p<0.001). For highly experienced intubators (>80 successful ETIs), frequent serious no-flow occurred in DL (14/55 [25.5%] vs. 0/57 in VL).

CONCLUSIONS

The ETI success, speed and complications during CPR did not differ significantly between the two devices for experienced intubators. However, the VL was superior in terms of completion of ETI without chest compression interruptions.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Clinical Research Information Service (CRIS) in South Korea KCT0000849.

Airway management in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Finland: current practices and outcomes

Background

Though airway management methods during out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remain controversial, no studies on the topic from Finland have examined adherence to OHCA recommendations in real life. In response, the aim of this study was to document the interventions, success rates, and adverse events in airway management processes in OHCA, as well as to analyse survival at hospital discharge and at follow-up a year later.

Methods

During a 6-month study period in 2010, data regarding all patients with OHCA and attempted resuscitation in southern and eastern Finland were prospectively collected. Emergency medical services (EMS) documented the airway techniques used and all adverse events related to the process. Study endpoints included the frequency of different techniques used, their success rates, methods used to verify the correct placement of the endotracheal tube, overall adverse events, and survival at hospital discharge and at follow-up a year later.

Results

A total of 614 patients were included in the study. The incidence of EMS-attempted resuscitation was determined to be 51/100,000 inhabitants per year. The final airway technique was endotracheal intubation (ETI) in 413 patients (67.3 %) and supraglottic airway device (SAD) in 188 patients (30.2 %). The overall success rate of ETI was 92.5 %, whereas that of SAD was 85.0 %. Adverse events were reported in 167 of the patients (27.2 %). Having a prehospital EMS physician on the scene (p < .001, OR 5.05, 95 % CI 2.94–8.68), having a primary shockable rhythm (p < .001, OR 5.23, 95 % CI 3.05–8.98), and being male (p = .049, OR 1.80, 95 % CI 1.00–3.22) were predictors for survival at hospital discharge.

Conclusions

This study showed acceptable ETI and SAD success rates among Finnish patients with OHCA. Adverse events related to airway management were observed in more than 25 % of patients, and overall survival was 17.8 % at hospital discharge and 14.0 % after 1 year.

Design and implementation of the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium Pragmatic Airway Resuscitation Trial (PART)

Airway management is an important component of resuscitation from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). The optimal approach to advanced airway management is unknown. The Pragmatic Airway Resuscitation Trial (PART) will compare the effectiveness of endotracheal intubation (ETI) and Laryngeal Tube (LT) insertion upon 72-h survival in adult OHCA. Encompassing United States Emergency Medical Services agencies affiliated with the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium (ROC), PART will use a cluster-crossover randomized design. Participating subjects will include adult, non-traumatic OHCA requiring bag-valve-mask ventilation. Trial interventions will include (1) initial airway management with ETI and (2) initial airway management with LT. The primary and secondary trial outcomes are 72-h survival and return of spontaneous circulation. Additional clinical outcomes will include airway management process and adverse events. The trial will enroll a total of 3000 subjects. Results of PART may guide the selection of advanced airway management strategies in OHCA.

Prehospital endotracheal intubation and survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: results from the Korean nationwide registry

PURPOSE

Optimal out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) airway management strategies are still controversial. Recent studies reported survival was higher among patients who received bag-valve-mask (BVM) than those receiving endotracheal intubation (ETI) or supraglottic airway (SGA). The aim of this study was to compare neurologically favorable survival outcomes among adult nontraumatic OHCA patients by prehospital airway.

METHODS

We used the Korean nationwide OHCA cohort database from 2010 to 2013. The inclusion criteria were all OHCA adults with presumed cardiac etiology, resuscitated by level-1 emergency medical technician. Patients were excluded if their information about the method of prehospital airway or clinical outcomes at hospital discharge could not be captured. The primary outcome was neurologically favorable survival to discharge. We compared the outcomes among 3 groups (ETI, SGA, or BVM) by prehospital airway using multivariable logistic regression with interaction model.

RESULTS

Of 98896 patients with OHCA, 32513 were included in analysis. Patients receiving BVM were 29684 and 2829 underwent advanced airway management including 1634 with SGA and 1195 with ETI. The odds of neurologically favorable survival to discharge was significantly higher in the ETI group compared to the BVM group (adjusted OR, 1.405; 95% CI, 1.1001-1.971). In the interaction model by witnessed status, the effect of ETI on good clinical outcomes was shown only in the patients whose arrest was unwitnessed.

CONCLUSION

In this Korean nationwide, population-based OHCA cohort, neurologically favorable survival to hospital discharge rates was significantly higher among patients who received ETI than those receiving BVM or SGA.

Mechanisms linking advanced airway management and cardiac arrest outcomes

Advanced airway management--such as endotracheal intubation (ETI) or supraglottic airway (SGA) insertion--is one of the most prominent interventions in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) resuscitation. While randomized controlled trials are currently in progress to identify the best advanced airway technique in OHCA, the mechanisms by which airway management may influence OHCA outcomes remain unknown. We provide a conceptual model describing potential mechanisms linking advanced airway management with OHCA outcomes.