Using the human patient simulator to test the efficacy of an experimental emergency percutaneous transtracheal airway

As clinicians continue to gain experience with the use of emergency cricothyrotomy, a need exists to continue to explore methods to perfect both the technique and the equipment used. The clinician in the austere military environment may be forced to be innovative in the design of such a device. A combination of commonly used disposable intravenous equipment for emergency cricothyrotomy is described. Its efficacy for the maintenance of oxygen saturation, arterial oxygen levels, and arterial carbon dioxide levels was determined using the Human Patient Simulator from Medical Education Technologies, Inc. The emergency airway device was compared with the needle cricothyrotomy technique. The control profile for the return of acceptable oxygen saturation and arterial oxygen levels was more closely matched by the emergency airway device than by the needle cricothyrotomy technique.