Effects of an elevated position on time to tracheal intubation by novice intubators using Macintosh laryngoscopy or videolaryngoscopy: randomized crossover trial

Bed tilt and ramp positions are associated with increased first-pass success of adult endotracheal intubation in the emergency department: A registry study

OBJECTIVE

Successful endotracheal intubation in the ED requires optimum body positioning. In patients with obesity, the ramp position was suggested to achieve better intubating conditions. However, limited data are available on the airway management practices for patients with obesity in Australasian EDs. The aim of this study was to identify current patient positioning practices during endotracheal intubation and its association with first-pass success (FPS) at intubation and adverse event (AE) rates in obese and non-obese populations.

METHODS

Prospectively collected data from the Australia and New Zealand ED Airway Registry (ANZEDAR) between 2012 and 2019 were analysed. Patients were categorised into two groups according to their weight: <100 kg (non-obese) or ≥100 kg (obese). Four position categories were investigated; supine, pillow or occipital pad, bed tilt and ramp or head-up with relation to FPS and complication rate using logistic regression modelling.

RESULTS

A total of 3708 intubations from 43 EDs were included. Overall, the non-obese cohort had a greater FPS rate (85.9%) compared to the obese group (77.0%). The bed tilt position had the highest FPS rate (87.2%), whereas the supine position had the lowest (83.0%). AE rates were highest in the ramp position (31.2%) compared to all other positions (23.8%). Regression analysis showed ramp, or bed tilt positions and a consultant-level intubator were associated with higher FPS. Obesity, in addition to other factors, was independently associated with lower FPS.

CONCLUSION

Obesity was associated with lower FPS, which could be improved through performing a bed tilt or ramp positioning.

Society of Critical Care Medicine Clinical Practice Guidelines for Rapid Sequence Intubation in the Critically Ill Adult Patient

RATIONALE

Controversies and practice variations exist related to the pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic management of the airway during rapid sequence intubation (RSI).

OBJECTIVES

To develop evidence-based recommendations on pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic topics related to RSI.

DESIGN

A guideline panel of 20 Society of Critical Care Medicine members with experience with RSI and emergency airway management met virtually at least monthly from the panel's inception in 2018 through 2020 and face-to-face at the 2020 Critical Care Congress. The guideline panel included pharmacists, physicians, a nurse practitioner, and a respiratory therapist with experience in emergency medicine, critical care medicine, anesthesiology, and prehospital medicine; consultation with a methodologist and librarian was available. A formal conflict of interest policy was followed and enforced throughout the guidelines-development process.

METHODS

Panelists created Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) questions and voted to select the most clinically relevant questions for inclusion in the guideline. Each question was assigned to a pair of panelists, who refined the PICO wording and reviewed the best available evidence using predetermined search terms. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) framework was used throughout and recommendations of "strong" or "conditional" were made for each PICO question based on quality of evidence and panel consensus. Recommendations were provided when evidence was actionable; suggestions, when evidence was equivocal; and best practice statements, when the benefits of the intervention outweighed the risks, but direct evidence to support the intervention did not exist.

RESULTS

From the original 35 proposed PICO questions, 10 were selected. The RSI guideline panel issued one recommendation (strong, low-quality evidence), seven suggestions (all conditional recommendations with moderate-, low-, or very low-quality evidence), and two best practice statements. The panel made two suggestions for a single PICO question and did not make any suggestions for one PICO question due to lack of evidence.

CONCLUSIONS

Using GRADE principles, the interdisciplinary panel found substantial agreement with respect to the evidence supporting recommendations for RSI. The panel also identified literature gaps that might be addressed by future research.

The effect of head position on glottic visualization with video laryngoscope and intubation success in obese patients who are not expected to have a difficult airway: a prospective randomized clinical study

Intubation is required to maintain anesthesia in patients who are planned to undergo surgery under general anesthesia. One of the most important steps for successful intubation is to position head and neck appropriately. Sniffing position, head extension position, and neutral head position are the most known and used head and neck positions. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of head position on glottic visualization with McGrath MAC® video laryngoscope (VL) and intubation success in obese patients who are scheduled for surgery. A total of 150 patients, 50 patients in each group, with a body mass index of 30 and above were included in the study. The patients included in the study were divided into three groups: neutral head position, head extension position and sniffing position. During the intubation with McGrath MAC® VL, the groups were compared in terms of percent of glottic opening (POGO) score, intubation duration and Intubation Difficulty Scale (IDS) score. While the POGO score was found to be statistically significantly higher in the sniffing position than in the neutral head position (p < 0.001), it was similar in the extension position. The intubation duration was found to be statistically significantly shorter in the sniffing position than in the neutral head position (p = 0.001). However, there was no statistically significant difference between sniffing and extension positions. IDS score was found to be statistically significantly higher in the neutral head position compared to the other positions (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). In addition, the IDS score was statistically significantly higher in head extension position than in sniffing position (p = 0.016). This study is a randomized controlled trial of 150 patients investigating the impact of head position on glottic visualization and intubation success in obese patients when using Macintosh-like VL. The results show that sniffing position may be favored.

Endotracheal intubation in a ramped versus supine position in the emergency department: A randomised crossover manikin study

Background:

Performing endotracheal intubation by placing patients in a ramped position has been shown to improve the ease of intubation and to reduce complications. The above findings, however, were only established in the operation theatre and intensive care settings.

Objective:

In order to establish the findings in the setting of the emergency department, we attempt to compare the ramped versus supine positions in normal and difficult airway scenarios.

Methods:

Medical doctors practicing at a local Accident and Emergency Department were recruited into a crossover randomised study. They were asked to perform intubations on a manikin in four scenarios. The manikin was put in a ramp or supine position. In addition, the manikin settings were adjusted to normal and difficult airways.

Results:

A total of 39 Accident and Emergency Department doctors were recruited. There was no statistically significant difference in the first-attempt success rates using the ramped position compared to supine position in either airway scenario (100% vs. 97.4%, P = 1 in normal airway, 79.5% vs. 74.4%, P = 0.789 in difficult airway). The mean intubation time in difficult airway setting was shorter when the manikin was put into ramped position (28.3 s vs. 38.4 s, P = 0.134). The ramped position improved the glottic view in the difficult airway setting ( P = 0.017). More intubators preferred to place the manikin into a ramped position during difficult airway setting (67%, P = 0.007). Experienced male intubators performed better in normal airway scenarios, whereas Accident and Emergency Department fellows performed better in difficult airway scenarios.

Conclusion:

The ramped position improves glottic view and operator ease when intubating a simulated difficult airway.

Impact of bed angle and height on intubation success during simulated endotracheal intubation in the ramped position

OBJECTIVE

The ramped position is often used during endotracheal intubation to improve oxygenation, improve laryngeal views, and reduce airway complications. We sought to compare the impact of ramp angle and bed height on intubation outcomes during simulated endotracheal intubation.

METHODS

We enrolled emergency medicine residents and fourth-year medical students to perform simulated direct laryngoscopy and endotracheal intubation in random order with the mannequin in the following combinations of ramp angles and bed heights; ramp angles of 25° and 45° at bed heights including knee, mid-thigh, umbilicus, xiphoid, and nipple/intermammary fold. Our primary outcome was the reported percentage of glottic opening (POGO) score. Secondary outcomes included number of laryngoscopy attempts and intubation time.

RESULTS

We enrolled 25 participants. There was no difference in reported POGO scores at 25° between bed heights, but at 45°, the umbilicus bed height had an improved reported POGO score (20; 95% confidence interval [CI] 7-33, P < 0.01) relative to xyphoid. The nipple/inframammary fold height required longer intubation times in seconds (mean difference [MD] 95% CI) at 25°, (MD, 23.9 [4.6-37.6], P < 0.01) and more laryngoscopy attempts at 45° (MD, 0.48 [0.16-0.79], P < 0.01) relative to xyphoid. There was no difference in laryngoscopy attempts and video POGO between 25° and 45° at all bed heights, but reported POGO at the umbilicus position was better at 25° than 45° (12 [1-23], P = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

The umbilicus bed height resulted in the highest reported POGO at 45°. Nipple/inframammary fold height resulted in worse intubating conditions.