title: [Airway management in the German air rescue service].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The equipment carried in rescue helicopters concerning airway management is not standardized in Germany. The current DIN/EN equipment regulations are not detailed for every single item resulting in differences between the various rescue bases. The aim of this survey was to show existing differences in airway management equipment.
  
  
  METHODS
  All 72 German air rescue helicopters listed in the ADAC air rescue stations atlas 2006/2007 received a questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 64 bases returned the questionnaire (88.9%). The most frequent types of supraglottic airway equipment were laryngeal masks (67.2%), Combitubes (32.8%) and laryngeal tubes (29.7%). Cricothyrotomy sets were more frequent (68.8%) than tracheostomy sets (35.9%). Of the bases 18.8% had masks suitable for non-invasive ventilation (NIV). All helicopters were equipped to carry out capnometry.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The rescue helicopters were found to have differences with respect to the equipment carried for airway management. Medical treatment according to current guidelines is possible on almost all bases.
authors: Anästhesiologische Klinik, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Krankenhausstr. 12, 91054, Erlangen, Deutschland. m.c.schmid@gmail.com
authors: M C
authors: MC
authors: Schmid
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Mang
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Ey
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Braun
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Schüttler
mesh_terms: D017732:Air Ambulances; D003625:Data Collection; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D017214:Laryngeal Masks; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D010092:Oximetry; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; D018635:Rescue Work; D012121:Respiration, Artificial