Effect of the laryngeal tube on the no-flow-time in a simulated two rescuer basic life support setting with inexperienced users

Intubation with a laryngeal tube (LT) is a recommended alternative to endotracheal intubation during advanced life support (ALS). LT insertion is easy; therefore, it may also be an alternative to bag-mask ventilation (BMV) for untrained personnel performing basic life support (BLS). Data from manikin studies support the influence of LT on no-flow-time (NFT) during ALS.

We performed a prospective, randomized manikin study using a two-rescuer model to compare the effects of ventilation using a LT and BMV on NFT during BLS. Participants were trained in BMV and were inexperienced in the use of a LT.

There was no significant difference in total NFT with the use of a LT and BMV (LT: mean 83.1 ± 37.3 s; BMV: mean 78.7 ± 24.5 s; p = 0.313), but we found significant differences in the progression of the scenario: in the BLS-scenario, the proportion of time spent performing chest compressions was higher when BMV was used compared to when a LT was used. The quality of chest compressions and the ventilation rate did not differ significantly between the two groups. The mean tidal volume and mean minute volume were significantly larger with the use of a LT compared with the use of BMV.

In conclusion, in a two-rescuer BLS scenario, NFT is longer with the use of a LT (without prior training) than with the use of BMV (with prior training). The probable reasons for this result are higher tidal volumes with the use of a LT leading to longer interruptions without chest compressions.