Special Operations Medics Test the Novel iView Video Laryngoscope: A Prospective, Randomized, Crossover Trial

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Emergency Medicine
• Surgical Devices

Background:

• Airway compromise is a leading cause of preventable battlefield death.
• Special operations combat medics (SOCM) primarily use direct laryngoscopy (DL) for endotracheal intubation (ETI).
• The iView video laryngoscopy (VL) device offers a low-cost, disposable option for prehospital providers.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the time to intubation between DL and iView VL among SOCM.
• To evaluate the usability and learnability of the iView VL device by combat medics.

Main Methods:

• Prospective, randomized, crossover trial involving 32 SOCM.
• Subjects performed 10 ETI each on manikins: 5 using VL and 5 using DL.
• Primary outcome measured was the time in seconds for ETI completion.

Main Results:

• VL intubation time was significantly faster (20.4 seconds) than DL (23.4 seconds; p=0.03).
• All VL attempts were successful, compared to 96.9% success with DL (p=0.10).
• A majority of medics preferred the iView VL, finding it easier to use, learn, and remember.

Conclusions:

• SOCM with no prior VL experience rapidly learned to use the iView VL effectively.
• The iView VL demonstrated a significant improvement in intubation time and user preference among combat medics.
• The iView VL is a viable and preferred alternative to DL for ETI in prehospital combat settings.