The King LT versus the Combitube: flight crew performance and preference.
BACKGROUND
Air medical personnel frequently face the challenge of the emergency airway. The Combitube is an airway device commonly used by emergency medical services (EMS) providers as either a primary or rescue airway.


OBJECTIVE
We sought to evaluate the performance and preference of air medical personnel using a newer laryngeal tube airway device, the King LT, versus the Combitube in a simulator model.


METHODS
Participants included flight physicians, nurses, and paramedics in our air medical transport program. Twenty-seven subjects participated. Participants received a 10-minute instructional program, and then had individual practice with each device. Participants were tested on the insertion of each device in a Laerdal SimMan. Rates of successful placement, time to successful placement, and practitioner preference were recorded. Perceived ease of insertion was measured on a five-point scale (1 = easy, 5 = difficult).


RESULTS
All 27 participants correctly placed each device. Mean time to placement was 24.4 seconds (standard deviation [SD] of 4.7 seconds) for the King LT and 37.9 seconds (SD of 5.9 seconds) for the Combitube. The difference in mean times was 13.5 seconds (p < 0.0001). For the participants' perceived ease of insertion, the mean score for the King LT was 1.3 and that for the Combitube was 2.5. Twenty-six of 27 participants preferred the King LT over the Combitube.


CONCLUSIONS
The King LT was placed significantly faster than the Combitube and was also perceived as easier to place. Ninety-six percent of the participants preferred the King LT. Limitations include using a simulator model rather than a human model.
Tumpach
Elizabeth A
EA
Department of Emergency Medicine, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
Lutes
Michael
M
Ford
Dennis
D
Lerner
E Brooke
EB
D000328:Adult; D017732:Air Ambulances; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004634:Emergency Medical Technicians / Q000523:psychology*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged