Use of video-assisted intubation devices in the management of patients with trauma

Abstract

Patients with trauma may have airways that are difficult to manage. Patients with blunt trauma are at increased risk of unrecognized cervical spine injury, especially patients with head trauma. Manual in-line stabilization reduces cervical motion and should be applied whenever a cervical collar is removed. All airway interventions cause some degree of cervical spine motion. Flexible fiberoptic intubation causes the least cervical motion of all intubation approaches, and rigid video laryngoscopy provides a good laryngeal view and eases intubation difficulty. In emergency medicine departments, video laryngoscopy use is growing and observational data suggest an improved success rate compared with direct laryngoscopy.