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Prehospital Surgical Airway Management Skills in a Rural Emergency Medical Service System
Brian L Risavi1, Jestin Carlson2, Erin M Reese3
1Emergency Medicine, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Erie, USA.
Cureus
|August 15, 2023
Summary
Prehospital surgical airways are rarely performed in rural EMS systems, with significant variation in provider training. Establishing a standardized educational curriculum for this life-saving procedure is needed.
Area of Science:
- Emergency Medicine
- Prehospital Care
- Surgical Procedures
Background:
- Prehospital surgical airways are critical interventions in emergency medicine.
- Understanding their use in rural Emergency Medical Service (EMS) systems is essential.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the education, training, and utilization of prehospital surgical airways.
- To assess current practices within a rural EMS system in Pennsylvania.
Main Methods:
- An internet-based survey was distributed to Advanced Life Support (ALS) EMS agencies.
- Data collected included agency demographics, number of surgical airways performed (last 10 years), and provider education/training.
Main Results:
- 11 of 20 (55%) ALS EMS agencies responded.
- Training content and frequency varied significantly among agencies.
- Only four prehospital surgical airways were performed; one patient survived.
Conclusions:
- Prehospital surgical airways are infrequently performed in rural settings.
- A lack of standardized training and competency evaluation exists.
- Development of a core educational curriculum is recommended.
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