Abstract
Study objective: This study was undertaken to determine whether flight nurses can perform surgical cricothyrotomies with acceptable success and complication rates. Methods: This case series examined the survival, success, and complication rates of surgical cricothyrotomy. A specially trained flight nurse retrospectively reviewed all prehospital, emergency department, inpatient, autopsy, and outpatient follow-up records. Results: Fifty-five consecutive patients in whom surgical cricothyrotomy was attempted by a flight nurse during a two-and-one-half-year period were studied. Patients ranged in age from 9 to 76 years. The airway was not cannulated successfully by a flight nurse in two patients. In two patients, the tube was not in the cricothyroid space (one in the upper tracheal rings, and the other in the larynx). In three patients, packing was insufficient to stop bleeding from around the operative site; and in three the tube became occluded by blood in the emergency department. Finally, two patients developed subglottic stenosis. Conclusion: Surgical cricothyrotomy in the field can be performed reliably by specially trained nurses. Because only the most critically ill or injured patients with unmanageable airways are subjected to this procedure, a significant complication rate can be anticipated.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 367-370 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Annals of Emergency Medicine |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 1991 |
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Keywords
- cricothyrotomy
- prehospital
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Emergency Medicine
Cite this
Can nurses perform surgical cricothyrotomy with acceptable success and complication rates? / Nugent, Wendy L.; Rhee, Kenneth J.; Wisner, David H.
In: Annals of Emergency Medicine, Vol. 20, No. 4, 1991, p. 367-370.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Can nurses perform surgical cricothyrotomy with acceptable success and complication rates?
AU - Nugent, Wendy L.
AU - Rhee, Kenneth J.
AU - Wisner, David H
PY - 1991
Y1 - 1991
N2 - Study objective: This study was undertaken to determine whether flight nurses can perform surgical cricothyrotomies with acceptable success and complication rates. Methods: This case series examined the survival, success, and complication rates of surgical cricothyrotomy. A specially trained flight nurse retrospectively reviewed all prehospital, emergency department, inpatient, autopsy, and outpatient follow-up records. Results: Fifty-five consecutive patients in whom surgical cricothyrotomy was attempted by a flight nurse during a two-and-one-half-year period were studied. Patients ranged in age from 9 to 76 years. The airway was not cannulated successfully by a flight nurse in two patients. In two patients, the tube was not in the cricothyroid space (one in the upper tracheal rings, and the other in the larynx). In three patients, packing was insufficient to stop bleeding from around the operative site; and in three the tube became occluded by blood in the emergency department. Finally, two patients developed subglottic stenosis. Conclusion: Surgical cricothyrotomy in the field can be performed reliably by specially trained nurses. Because only the most critically ill or injured patients with unmanageable airways are subjected to this procedure, a significant complication rate can be anticipated.
AB - Study objective: This study was undertaken to determine whether flight nurses can perform surgical cricothyrotomies with acceptable success and complication rates. Methods: This case series examined the survival, success, and complication rates of surgical cricothyrotomy. A specially trained flight nurse retrospectively reviewed all prehospital, emergency department, inpatient, autopsy, and outpatient follow-up records. Results: Fifty-five consecutive patients in whom surgical cricothyrotomy was attempted by a flight nurse during a two-and-one-half-year period were studied. Patients ranged in age from 9 to 76 years. The airway was not cannulated successfully by a flight nurse in two patients. In two patients, the tube was not in the cricothyroid space (one in the upper tracheal rings, and the other in the larynx). In three patients, packing was insufficient to stop bleeding from around the operative site; and in three the tube became occluded by blood in the emergency department. Finally, two patients developed subglottic stenosis. Conclusion: Surgical cricothyrotomy in the field can be performed reliably by specially trained nurses. Because only the most critically ill or injured patients with unmanageable airways are subjected to this procedure, a significant complication rate can be anticipated.
KW - cricothyrotomy
KW - prehospital
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0026016870&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0026016870&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/S0196-0644(05)81656-7
DO - 10.1016/S0196-0644(05)81656-7
M3 - Article
C2 - 2003663
AN - SCOPUS:0026016870
VL - 20
SP - 367
EP - 370
JO - Annals of Emergency Medicine
JF - Annals of Emergency Medicine
SN - 0196-0644
IS - 4
ER -