Assessment of Prehospital Airway Placements in the Setting of Trauma: An American Association for the Surgery of Trauma Multicenter Study
This multicenter, retrospective observational study evaluates outcomes associated with different prehospital airway management techniques in trauma patients. While endotracheal intubation is considered the gold standard for definitive airway management, the use of prehospital endotracheal intubation (EMS ETT) in trauma patients remains controversial due to mixed evidence regarding its impact on patient outcomes.
The study will compare mortality and airway management success rates among trauma patients who undergo EMS endotracheal intubation with those who receive definitive airway management after arrival to the emergency department. It will also examine outcomes associated with alternative prehospital airway techniques, including supraglottic airways and other adjuncts.
The primary objective is to determine whether mortality differs between patients intubated in the prehospital setting and those intubated after emergency department arrival. Secondary objectives include evaluating the success rate of EMS intubation attempts and identifying which airway management techniques demonstrate the highest success rates in the prehospital setting for patients with acute traumatic injuries.