How many of you are allowed to perform a surgical airway? How many have actually done one? I'm just curious because my EMT-B instructor was one of the guys responsible for getting surgical airways put in the TN EMT-P scope of practice. That made me curious as to how many other states allow it.
Surgical Airways
- Thread starter RDUNNE
- Start date
MasterIntubator
Forum Captain
- 340
- 0
- 0
In our juristiction, we have them in our protocols and if trained and signed off, you can perform it. Its very rare. You have a better chance treating 20 symptomatic WPW pts before getting one of these.
I have done 1, but it was not in the field setting.
I have done 1, but it was not in the field setting.
ResTech
Forum Asst. Chief
- 888
- 1
- 0
Maryland and Pennsylvania allow surgical airways.
wvditchdoc
Forum Crew Member
- 50
- 0
- 0
Done 2 here in Iraq. WV does allow it back home as well.
Michigan does them. We've had cric's in our scope for at least 15 year that I am aware. Have only done 2 in 14 years. Both we massive facial trauma victims.
wyoskibum
Forum Captain
- 363
- 2
- 0
Not allowed in Wyoming. Is allowed in CT, but dependent on Sponsor Hospital and Medical Director.
NY State allows it but yes it is up to the Regionall Medical Director here as well. We use Quick-Trach it has been in our protocols for about 10 years I guess. I have only done one -- but it was the first in our region --- on a severe airway inhalation burn.
Canoeman
Canoeman
TransportJockey
Forum Chief
- 8,623
- 1,675
- 113
There is one medical director in NM that doesn't allow it last time I looked. Whoever is running Artesia EMS.
Crepitus
Forum Crew Member
- 33
- 0
- 0
In Iowa it is a limited to Paramedic Specialists (National Paramedics) who have a Critical Care Paramedic endorsement.
I've done a needle, never a surgical.
RyRyTheFlyGuy13
Forum Ride Along
- 4
- 0
- 0
Oregon
Oregon allows them, I even got to do a cricothyrotomy in paramedic school during a clinical.. Good stuff.
Oregon allows them, I even got to do a cricothyrotomy in paramedic school during a clinical.. Good stuff.
Epi-do
I see dead people
- 1,947
- 9
- 38
They are allowed in the Indy metro area. I've never done one, but I haven't been a medic for that long. It's one of those things that I hope I can go my entire career without having to do.
redcrossemt
Forum Asst. Chief
- 550
- 0
- 16
In regards to Michigan, it is within our scope as posted before, but only for age 8+. For children, we needle.
Ive only done three in my career, one was for a closed up airway with massive edema secondary to a thermal burn, the other two were for facial trauma. A lot of services are having success with the QuickTrach systems. I haven't used one yet but they might be a good compromise for those services that are hesitant about full on surgical crics but realize the many and inherent limitations of needle crics.
The only danger is if you have that "skill" in your pocket, is its overuse. I've QA'd and seen many cases of over zealous crics both by prehospital and hospital providers. It truly is a LAST RESORT. With rescue airways like LMAs/Kings/Combi's we really should not be cricing more than a handful of times during a career in a busy system.
The only danger is if you have that "skill" in your pocket, is its overuse. I've QA'd and seen many cases of over zealous crics both by prehospital and hospital providers. It truly is a LAST RESORT. With rescue airways like LMAs/Kings/Combi's we really should not be cricing more than a handful of times during a career in a busy system.
- 8,009
- 58
- 48
O really?
PA allows for needle crics, not open surgical airways. Usually this is a 10/12/14 gauge IV cath hooked to TTJV. There are some variations of kits that will essentially establish a full-size surgical airway (like the quicktrach and Melker Kit), which are considered acceptable under protocol.
MCGLYNN_EMTP
Forum Crew Member
- 56
- 0
- 0
Not allowed in Louisiana...or atleast not with my company