Air medical journal
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Air medical journal · Sep 2019
ReviewPrehospital Airway Management in Severe Traumatic Brain Injury.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability among trauma patients. The final outcome of TBI results from a complex interaction between primary and secondary mechanisms of injury that begin immediately after the traumatic event. The aim of this review was to evaluate the latest evidence regarding the impact of prehospital airway management and the outcome after traumatic brain injury. ⋯ Literature about this topic is still inconclusive; however, new evidence taking into consideration more complex aspects of airway management rather than orotracheal intubation per se shows improved outcomes with aggressive prehospital airway management.
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Air medical journal · Sep 2019
Comparative StudyFirst-Pass Success Intubations Using Video Laryngoscopy Versus Direct Laryngoscopy: A Retrospective Prehospital Ambulance Service Study.
In emergency medicine, endotracheal intubation is the gold standard for airway management. First-pass intubation success is beneficial because it secures the patient airway more quickly and avoids complications associated with repeated attempts, such as bleeding and swelling of soft tissue. The key to first-pass success is the ability to visualize the laryngeal inlet. Visualization can be accomplished using traditional direct laryngoscopy or video laryngoscopy. The purpose of our study was to compare the rate of successful first-pass endotracheal intubations using a video laryngoscope with that using a direct visualization laryngoscope in a prehospital emergency setting. ⋯ This retrospective study shows that video laryngoscopy had a higher first-pass success rate than direct laryngoscopy. This is promising because decreasing failure rates provide better patient outcomes.
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Air medical journal · Sep 2019
Observational StudyFixed Wing Tactical Aircraft for Air Medical Evacuation in Sahel.
The medical support of military operations over a 5 million km2 area in the Sahel-Saharan strip has justified the use of a medical fixed wing aircraft. Two CASA CN 235 aircraft currently perform medical evacuation (medevac) from the point of injury to forward surgical structures and then to the international airport before strategic medevac to France. ⋯ Tactical medevac with fixed wing aircraft has become a crucial link in the French medical evacuation chain in remote areas. Military emergency medical teams were able to provide in-flight intensive care before and after damage control surgery. Discussions are underway to consider possible doctrinal and logistical evolutions.