Ability of paramedics to use the Combitube™ in prehospital cardiac arrest

A comparison of two airway aids for emergency use by unskilled personnelThe Combitube and laryngeal mask

“…Whether this would remain true several weeks or months after training is another matter. It has been reported that paramedics who have been well trained in the use of the Combitube become less proficient with time [10]. The theoretical advantage of the Combitube in protecting against aspiration has to be balanced against its greater complexity of use and higher cost.…”

Complications associated with the use of the Esophageal-Tracheal Combitube

“…1 It is used mainly in two situations: the management of a difficult airway in a cannotventilate-cannot-intubate situation and for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in a prehospital setting. [2][3][4] The main characteristic of the ETC is its design allowing blind insertion with minimal training. No serious complications have been described with the ETC.…”

Comparison of Arterial Blood Gases of Laryngeal Mask Airway and Bag-Valve-Mask Ventilation in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests

“…quency or time of replacement), 3,4,8,[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]26 (2) 11 The present study demonstrated the current status of LMA and BVM with regard to ABG in cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Although there are a few reports comparing blood gas data during CPR with LMA and BVM, this is the first to show the data of "out-of hospital" cardiac arrests with "VF/VT" on initial ECG at the scene as classified by the Utstein template.…”