A Scoping Review on Military Airway Studies

Airway compromise is an urgent and life-threatening challenge that commonly occurs on the battlefield. Effective airway management on the battlefield is critical for reducing preventable deaths. This review summarizes the existing literature on airway management in the deployed combat setting.

We conducted a scoping review using the PRISMA-ScR checklist. We used PubMed and Google Scholar to identify relevant literature from 2001 to 2025 which reflects the years for the Global War On Terrorism. Studies were eligible if they reported on airway interventions in the combat setting.

There were 30 airway studies that met inclusion for this review. Of the studies included in this review, 3 were focused on endotracheal intubation (ETI), 3 were focused on cricothyrotomy, 1 was focused on supraglottic airways, and 23 evaluated more than 1 airway method. The studies included 4 prospective observational studies, and 25 retrospective observational studies. Overall, ETI was the most commonly reported airway procedure with the majority performed by medical officers in both the fixed and prehospital settings. Cricothyrotomy was the second most commonly reported with a relatively low incidence and high complication. Multiple studies highlighted gaps in skills training as well as technology as a complicating factors.

Effective airway management is critical for reducing preventable deaths on the battlefield. Endotracheal intubation is the most common advanced airway intervention, while cricothyrotomy and supraglottic airways are less common and show variable success. Ongoing gaps in training, documentation, and equipment access highlight the need for standardized airway protocols and improved training programs to improve battlefield survival among casualties requiring an advanced airway.