Direct Laryngoscopy Outperforms Airtraq in a Physician-Staffed Prehospital System

Video and optical laryngoscopy are fast becoming preferred over direct laryngoscopy for emergency intubation. In a prospective, randomized study, researchers compared the Airtraq laryngoscope (a prism-based optical device) and direct laryngoscopy in 212 adults who were intubated by anesthesiologists and emergency medical services (EMS) physicians in an Austrian ground and helicopter prehospital system. Participating physicians performed at least 80 intubations per year and received Airtraq training on manikins and in the operating room (with 2–5 patients) before the study. Patients who did not have cardiac arrest received etomidate or ketamine supplemented by fentanyl and midazolam for induction and succinylcholine for paralysis.

Intubation …