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During our monthly continuing education from the hospital system, a pediatric drowning scenario was brought forth. Nothing out of the ordinary, 3 year old in a PEA arrest after being removed from a pool.
We don't intubate pediatrics in this system, instead we have iGels down to pediatric sizes.
Without really providing much evidence, the educators say not to use an iGel or SGA as children have strong mammalian dive reflexes and iGel will obstruct their airway while the pressure from using a BVM and OPA will open the airway just fine. This makes absolutely no sense to me. Has anyone else heard anything like this?
I get not intubating kids, but the airway pressures afforded to the patient by ETT (and the ability to suction) would seem to be of benefit in a drowning. Obviously SGAs do not generate significant airway pressures, but it seems that they'd be more effective than a mask ventilation? Or am I just wrong.
We don't intubate pediatrics in this system, instead we have iGels down to pediatric sizes.
Without really providing much evidence, the educators say not to use an iGel or SGA as children have strong mammalian dive reflexes and iGel will obstruct their airway while the pressure from using a BVM and OPA will open the airway just fine. This makes absolutely no sense to me. Has anyone else heard anything like this?
I get not intubating kids, but the airway pressures afforded to the patient by ETT (and the ability to suction) would seem to be of benefit in a drowning. Obviously SGAs do not generate significant airway pressures, but it seems that they'd be more effective than a mask ventilation? Or am I just wrong.