title: New needle cricothyroidotomy setup.
abstract: We propose a simple and flexible connection setup for needle cricothyroidotomy. Needle cricothyroidotomy is a life-saving procedure. It is technically easy to perform, but it cannot provide adequate ventilation for a long period of time. The standard recommended ventilation equipment for needle cricothyroidotomy consists of a jet insuflator connected to a source of oxygen with 50 psi pressure. Such a setup is not always available in emergency situations. Alternative setups using ventilation with a bag-valve had been proposed. All of them are either too bulky or rigid, which increase the chance of cricothyroidotomy catheter dislodgment. Connection proposed by us is flexible, readily available, and easy to set up.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Cambridge Hospital, Massachusetts 02139, USA. slava_gaufberg@hms.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Slava V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Gaufberg
authors.forename: Tom P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Workman
mesh_terms: D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000601:surgery*; D004638:Emergency Treatment / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007327:Insufflation / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D009339:Needles; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D013957:Thyroid Cartilage / Q000601:surgery*