Air medical journal
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Air medical journal · Mar 2001
Comparative StudyWhat happens with failed blind nasal tracheal intubations?
Flight nurses and paramedics may be called on to perform a blind nasal tracheal intubation (BNTI) as an airway management adjunct. A literature review found two publications addressing air medical BNTI failure rates. No studies examining demographic factors associated with BNTI failure rates nor published reports evaluating the failure rates of subsequent oral tracheal intubation (OTI) and cricothyroidotomy (cric) attempts after failed BNTI were found. This study was undertaken to identify factors associated with BNTI failure and determine the failure rates for OTI and cric performed by flight nurses and paramedics after failed BNTI. ⋯ Flight nurse and flight paramedic teams show a rather low BNTI failure (7%) rate within the confines of the hospital setting but a significantly higher failure rate (48%) when this procedure is performed at the scene of an injury. Although not measured in this study, this difference may represent fewer insertion attempts, less time spent performing BNTI because of the need to rapidly transport trauma patients to appropriate treatment centers, or variation in technique because of the concern for cervical spine injury. Further studies are required to elucidate why differences in scene versus in-hospital BNTI success rates are occurring.
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Air medical journal · Mar 2001
A national survey of the air medical transport of high-risk obstetric patients.
Air medical transport of high-risk obstetric (HROB) patients can be accomplished and advantageous for neonate survival and maternal morbidity. A survey of U.S. helicopter air medical programs was conducted to determine the frequency and current practices of HROB transport. ⋯ While HROBs account for 5% of air medical flights, many programs appear to be poorly prepared for these patients.