title: Comparison of airway intubation devices when using a biohazard suit: a feasibility study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We set out to compare emergency medicine residents' intubating times and success rates for direct laryngoscopy (DL), GlideScope-assisted intubation (GS), and the Supraglottic Airway Laryngopharyngeal Tube (SALT) airway with and without biohazard gear.
  
  
  METHODS
  Each resident passed through 2 sets of 3 testing stations (DL, GS, SALT) in succession, intubating Laerdal mannequin heads with the 3 modalities after randomization to start with or without biohazard gear.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-seven residents participated, and 27 were male (73%); 14 (37.8%) had prior experience intubating in biohazard suits. There was a statistically significant difference in those who had prior intubation experience between DL (37, 100%), GS (32, 86.5%), and SALT (12, 32.4%) (P < .001) and in median time to intubation (48 seconds, no suit; 57 seconds, with suits) (P = .03). There was no statistically significant difference between the overall times to intubate for the 3 devices. First-pass success was highest for DL (91.2%, no suit; 83.7%, suit) followed by GS (89%, no suit; 78.3%, suit) and SALT (51%, no suit; 67.6%, suit).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A minority of participants had prior experience intubating in biohazard suits. Use of biohazard suits extends time to successful intubation. There was no difference in time to intubation for the 3 devices, but first-pass success was highest for DL (with or without biohazard gear).
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/USF MCOM, CC & I-78, Allentown, PA 18103.
authors: Kevin R
authors: KR
authors: Weaver
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/USF MCOM, CC & I-78, Allentown, PA 18103.
authors: Gavin C
authors: GC
authors: Barr
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/USF MCOM, CC & I-78, Allentown, PA 18103.
authors: Kayla R
authors: KR
authors: Long
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/USF MCOM, CC & I-78, Allentown, PA 18103.
authors: Leonel
authors: L
authors: Diaz
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/USF MCOM, CC & I-78, Allentown, PA 18103.
authors: Aaron S
authors: AS
authors: Ratner
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/USF MCOM, CC & I-78, Allentown, PA 18103.
authors: Jeffery P
authors: JP
authors: Reboul
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/USF MCOM, CC & I-78, Allentown, PA 18103.
authors: Douglas A
authors: DA
authors: Sturm
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/USF MCOM, CC & I-78, Allentown, PA 18103. Electronic address: mrgdo@ptd.net.
authors: Marna Rayl
authors: MR
authors: Greenberg
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/USF MCOM, CC & I-78, Allentown, PA 18103.
authors: Stephen W
authors: SW
authors: Dusza
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/USF MCOM, CC & I-78, Allentown, PA 18103.
authors: Bernadette
authors: B
authors: Glenn-Porter
authors: Department of Emergency Medicine, Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network/USF MCOM, CC & I-78, Allentown, PA 18103.
authors: Bryan G
authors: BG
authors: Kane
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000193:education*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008297:Male; D008348:Manikins; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011481:Protective Clothing