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Observational Study
. 2022 Oct;48(5):4205-4213.
doi: 10.1007/s00068-022-01962-7. Epub 2022 Apr 1.

The impact of video laryngoscopy on the first-pass success rate of prehospital endotracheal intubation in The Netherlands: a retrospective observational study

Iscander Maissan  1 , Esther van Lieshout  2 , Timo de Jong  3 , Mark van Vledder  2 , Robert Jan Houmes  3 , Dennis den Hartog  2 , Robert Jan Stolker  3
Affiliations
Observational Study

The impact of video laryngoscopy on the first-pass success rate of prehospital endotracheal intubation in The Netherlands: a retrospective observational study

Iscander Maissan et al. Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg. 2022 Oct.

Abstract

Purpose: The first-pass success rate for endotracheal intubation (ETI) depends on provider experience and exposure. We hypothesize that video laryngoscopy (VL) improves first-pass and overall ETI success rates in low and intermediate experienced airway providers and prevents from unrecognized oesophageal intubations in prehospital settings.

Methods: In this study 3632 patients were included. In all cases, an ambulance nurse, HEMS nurse, or HEMS physician performed prehospital ETI using direct Laryngoscopy (DL) or VL.

Results: First-pass ETI success rates for ambulance nurses with DL were 45.5% (391/859) and with VL 64.8% (125/193). For HEMS nurses first-pass success rates were 57.6% (34/59) and 77.2% (125/162) respectively. For HEMS physicians these successes were 85.9% (790/920) and 86.9% (1251/1439). The overall success rate for ambulance nurses with DL was 58.4% (502/859) and 77.2% (149/193) with VL. HEMS nurses successes were 72.9% (43/59) and 87.0% (141/162), respectively. HEMS physician successes were 98.7% (908/920) and 99.0% (1425/1439), respectively. The incidence of unrecognized intubations in the oesophagus before HEMS arrival in traumatic circulatory arrest (TCA) was 30.6% with DL and 37.5% with VL. In medical cardiac arrest cases the incidence was 20% with DL and 0% with VL.

Conclusion: First-pass and overall ETI success rates for ambulance and HEMS nurses are better with VL. The used device does not affect success rates of HEMS physicians. VL resulted in less unrecognized oesophageal intubations in medical cardiac arrests. In TCA cases VL resulted in more oesophageal intubations when performed by ambulance nurses before HEMS arrival.

Keywords: Direct laryngoscopy; ETI; Endotracheal intubation; First-pass success rate; Prehospital; Video laryngoscopy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Iscander M. Maissan, Esther M.M. van Lieshout, Timo J. de Jong, Mark G. van Vledder, Robert Jan Houmes, Dennis den Hartog and Robert Jan Stolker declare that they have no conflict of interest. No external funding was received besides department funding to assist with the preparation of this manuscript.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Study flowchart
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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