Surgical Airways

[FLEMTP]

In Florida they are allowed. In the 2 previous systems ive worked in you had to call and ask for permission, needle cric is allowed.

The system I work in now allows surgical and needle crics without having to call for orders. In fact, we dont have to call to do anything!

I've come close to doing one once.. if we had not been pulling into the hospital when I decided it needed to be done it would have been done. The ER doc did a retrograde intubation instead...wish we had those in the field.

 

[redcrossemt]

The ER doc did a retrograde intubation instead...wish we had those in the field.

Retrograde intubation takes some time, and is probably a skill harder to complete than surgical crichothyrotomy. It would be nice if you could do it I guess, just in case. Doesn't really take any extra supplies - just a guide wire - which is normally in the quick-trach kits anyway.

 

[Jeffrey_169]

I have never actually seen one performed. I have heard of them, and I know they are performed in TX however; to my knowledge they are not practiced commonly in the feild setting.

 

[bmc911]

CT allows them. we use the Melker kit at my fulltime gig and are allowed to do incision with ETT or Quicktrach at my partime establishment.

ive done one using the Melker kit and had good success
pt was closed head injury with trismus, low sao2(80% with aggressive airway mangement) and copious blood in his airway. pucker factor of 9.7 the first time. not afraid to do it again if the need arises.

 

[trevor1189]

Can do them here, we have a pretty good medical director. Obviously not a paramedic, so I haven't done one. Did have an arrest that the medic ended up doing one, but I was the medics squad behind the ambulance while they were doing it! That was disappointing.