Regional EMS experience with etomidate for facilitated intubation

To report the preliminary experience of the Central New York emergency medical services (EMS) region with etomidate for prehospital facilitated intubation.

Prospective recording of all intubations (facilitated and nonfacilitated) was completed during the first six months of the etomidate protocol, from January 1 to June 30, 2000. These results were compared with retrospective comparison data obtained for an 18-month period from stored documented prehospital care reports (PCRs), a period when diazepam was used for facilitated intubation.

During the study period, 343 (84%) of 409 attempted intubations were successful. Of these, 24 facilitated intubations (using etomidate) were attempted (all on breathing, agitated patients), and 19 (79%, CI 63%-95%) were successful. Eighteen of these (95%) were intubated successfully on the first attempt. The median age of the patients requiring intubation was 70 years (range 14-90), and 60% were female. There were no reported incidences of vomiting, broken teeth, or bleeding. The region's prior 18-month experience using diazepam for facilitated intubation resulted in ten (23%, CI 1%-36%) successful intubations of 43 facilitated intubation attempts.

Preliminary data suggest increased rates of success for facilitated intubation using etomidate, when compared with diazepam, with most intubations successful on the first attempt. Limitations of this study include a small sample size and self-reporting of airway data by paramedics.