Anyone using Airtraq?

[Petey0397]

A rep literally just left our station demoing that Airtraq thing. Our DC of Training was impressed with it and is most likely going to order a set. I've got a couple of questions for you all, oh fellow paramedics:

1) How are they on actual people? Have you run into any consistent issues?

2) WHERE do you keep it? Our airway kits are the kind you "roll" out if that makes sense and we are wondering where to put the thing.

3) How has it affected your budget vs. the cost of the normal stuff?

4) Have you had good experiences reporting any issues to the company and were they dealt with to your satisfaction?

If you're an EMS system that uses the Airtraq regularly, I would love to hear from you.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[CANMAN]

Not a big fan of commercial trach/surgical airway kits. I have had the opportunity to do two surgical airways in the field and both times had no issues with old school scalpel and ET tube. My most recent one I used the bougie method and found it to be the my favorite. IMO for the amount of times you will have the potential to perform the procedure it doesn't warrent a fancy kit.

Scalpel
4x4's with a slit cut in them or trach sponges
Bougie
ET tube

 

[Aidey]

Not a big fan of commercial trach/surgical airway kits.

The Airtraq is neither.

 

[HotelCo]

Why does your service need one? If your service's medics have difficulty intubating, why not just move to a King airway, or even a Combitube?

 

[8jimi8]

Taken from EMCrit.org

I believe in the Crichshow podcast Dr. Weingart advocates only stealing a portion of the specialty kit to use with emergency surgical airway. He actually does quite a few shows on the procedure, so you will have to look at all the resources to find that pearl.


http://emcrit.org/procedures/cricothyrotomy/
Open Crich Trainer

http://emcrit.org/procedures/bougie-aided-cric/
Darren Braude, Aiway and EMS master from New Mexico demonstrates the use of a bougie to make the cric procedure MUCH easier. For more great Braude magic, see his site at airway911.com.


http://emcrit.org/procedures/fiberoptic-stylet-cric/
Procedure: Fiberoptic Stylet-aided Cricothyrotomy by Seth Manoach

EMCrit is an excellent resource that I have been utilizing on my commutes.

 

[CANMAN]

Sorry my bad.... I was thinking the Quicktrac kit... Yeah yeah the Airtraq, we have them as a backup device. To be honest with you I have never used the thing. Again the bougie is my favorite airway tool and I haven't had a difficult airway that I needed more then the bougie since we have had the Airtraq so I am not much help..

 

[usalsfyre]

Not a big fan of commercial trach/surgical airway kits. I have had the opportunity to do two surgical airways in the field and both times had no issues with old school scalpel and ET tube. My most recent one I used the bougie method and found it to be the my favorite. IMO for the amount of times you will have the potential to perform the procedure it doesn't warrent a fancy kit.

Scalpel
4x4's with a slit cut in them or trach sponges
Bougie
ET tube

A trach hook and hemostats makes things a little easier as well.

 

[usalsfyre]

A rep literally just left our station demoing that Airtraq thing. Our DC of Training was impressed with it and is most likely going to order a set. I've got a couple of questions for you all, oh fellow paramedics:

1) How are they on actual people? Have you run into any consistent issues?

2) WHERE do you keep it? Our airway kits are the kind you "roll" out if that makes sense and we are wondering where to put the thing.

3) How has it affected your budget vs. the cost of the normal stuff?

4) Have you had good experiences reporting any issues to the company and were they dealt with to your satisfaction?

If you're an EMS system that uses the Airtraq regularly, I would love to hear from you.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Never used one for real, but I've played with them before. Wasn't impressed, struck me as a gimmick that wasn't of the same quality as actual video laryengoscopes.

 

[Aidey]

It looks like it would be good for military and disaster applications in field hospitals.

 

[reaper]

Have used it before. They are nice, but have draw backs. Even with antifog wipes, They will still fog up on you. When they do work right, they work good.