Complications During Physician-Performed Prehospital Intubation

To determine the incidence of peri-intubation complications in a physician-staffed Scottish aeromedical transport system, researchers retrospectively analyzed emergent rapid-sequence intubations performed between 2008 and 2012.

Of 208 intubations, 75% were performed during interfacility transport and 25% were performed at the scene of the incident. Peri-intubation desaturation (defined as a drop in oxygen saturation below 90% or a 10% drop from the initial oxygen saturation) occurred in 15.4% of patients. Peri-intubation hypotension (defined as a drop in systolic blood pressure below 90 mm Hg) occurred in 7.9% of patients. On multivariate analysis, a Cormack and Lehane grade 3 or 4 glottic view was the only predictor of oxygen desaturation. …