Annals of emergency medicine
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
A comparison of blind nasotracheal and succinylcholine-assisted intubation in the poisoned patient.
In the patient obtunded by drug intoxication, the optimal method of airway protection prior to gastric emptying is not clear. We report a prospective randomized trial of two methods of intubation in this patient population. Fifty-two overdose patients with Glascow Coma Scale scores of 12 or less were intubated either orotracheally after succinylcholine administration or nasotracheally. ⋯ Sixty-nine percent of the BNI group experienced epistaxis, 17% had vomiting, and 10% aspirated. We conclude that SAI is a safe and effective method of airway protection in the obtunded poisoned patient. Complications and difficulty in intubation were significantly less with SAI than with blind nasotracheal intubation.