title: Emergency intubation with the Combitube: comparison with the endotracheal airway.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the Combitude as used by ICU nurses under medical supervision compared with endotracheal airway established by ICU physicians during CPR.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study of ICU patients over a seven-month period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical ICU.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-seven patients suffering from cardiac arrest.
  
  
  METHODS
  Emergency intubation with either the Combitube by nurses or the endotracheal airway by physicians and subsequent mechanical ventilation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Evaluation of blood gases after 20 minutes of mechanical ventilation. Intubation time was shorter for the Combitube (P < .001). Blood gases for each device showed comparable results; PaO2 was slightly higher during ventilation with the Combitube (P < .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Combitube as used by ICU nurses was as effective as establishment of the endotracheal airway by intensivists during CPR. The Combitube may be used whenever endotracheal intubation cannot be performed immediately.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine I, Intensive Care Unit, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Staudinger
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Brugger
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Watschinger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Röggla
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dielacher
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Löbl
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fink
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Klauser
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Frass
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004630:Emergencies; D004947:Esophagus; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007440:Intubation / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses; D010820:Physicians; D011446:Prospective Studies