• Yi Hui To, Yong-Kwang Gene Ong, Shu-Ling Chong, Peck Har Ang, Nur Diana Bte Zakaria, Khai Pin Lee, and Jen Heng Pek.
• Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore City, Singapore.
• Paediatr Anaesth. 2021 Jun 1; 31 (6): 713-719.

BackgroundIntubation is a life-saving intervention at the Emergency Department (ED). However, general and pediatric EDs may vary in their preparedness to manage children with airway emergencies.AimsWe aimed to compare rates of first-pass intubation and adverse tracheal intubation-associated events between general and pediatric EDs.MethodsA retrospective review of medical records was conducted at a pediatric ED and three general EDs from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2018. Information about the intubation process involving pediatric patients (less than 16 years old), as well as eventual outcomes of first-pass intubation and adverse tracheal intubation-associated events were collected and analyzed.ResultsThere were 180 pediatric intubations, of which 115 (63.9%) were performed in pediatric ED. The median age was 2 years old (interquartile range 0-6). Intubation was most commonly performed for patients with cardiac arrest (88, 48.9%). Direct laryngoscopy was used in 178 (98.9%) cases and uncuffed tube was used in 135 (75.0%) cases. Apneic oxygenation was performed in 26 (14.4%) cases-all in pediatric ED. Intubation was predominantly performed by senior clinicians (162, 90.0%). Overall, intubation was performed successfully in 175 (97.2%) cases, with a first-pass intubation rate of 82.2% which was similar between pediatric (96, 83.5%) and general EDs (52, 80%) (Odds ratio [OR] 1.26, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.58 to 2.76, p = .558). There were 68 adverse tracheal intubation-associated events with right mainstem intubation being the most common (23, 12.8%). Pediatric EDs (44, 38.3%) had a higher rate of adverse tracheal intubation-associated events than general EDs (15, 23.1%) (OR 2.07, 95% CI 1.04 to 4.11; p = .037).ConclusionsDifferences exist in intubation outcomes between pediatric and general EDs. Quality improvement efforts should focus on standardizing intubation practices across both pediatric and general EDs.© 2021 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

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