Seated vs. Supine Patient Positioning for Emergency Intubation

Daniel J. Pallin, MD, MPH   First-attempt intubation success was more common with more-upright patient positioning.   Prior research has suggested that patients should be intubated emergently in an upright, head-forward position rather than in the traditional supine position (NEJM JW Emerg Med Mar 15 2016; [e-pub] and Anesth Analg 2016; 122:1101).   To... Read more..

Airway Management Outside the Operating Room: How to Better Prepare

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Do We Harm Patients by Intubating During In-Hospital Codes?

Patricia Kritek, MD   Intubation during arrest was associated with worse outcomes.   The 2015 American Heart Association Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support guidelines deemphasize advanced airway placement as a component of initial resuscitation. Out-of-hospital–arrest data suggest lower survival among patients who are intubated in the field (NEJM JW Emerg Med Feb 2013... Read more..

Perioperative Respiratory Adverse Events in Infants: LMA vs. Endotracheal Intubation

Katherine Bakes, MD   Infants who underwent endotracheal intubation had three times greater risk for perioperative respiratory adverse events than those with a laryngeal mask airway.   Investigators prospectively compared the incidence of perioperative respiratory adverse events among infants (ages 0–12 months) randomized to receive either a laryngeal mask airway (LMA) or endotracheal intubation... Read more..