title: A survey of a population of anaesthesiologists from South India regarding practices for rapid sequence intubation in patients with head injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Evidence and utility of the individual steps of the rapid sequence induction and tracheal intubation protocols have been debated, especially in the setting of traumatic brain injury. The purpose of this survey was to determine preferences in the current approach to rapid sequence intubation (RSI) in head injury patients among a population of anaesthesiologists from South India.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire was E-mailed to all the members of the Indian Society of Anaesthesiologists' South Zone Chapter to ascertain their preferences, experience and comfort level with regard to their use of rapid sequence intubation techniques in adult patients with head injury. Participants were requested to indicate their practices for RSI technique for a head-injured patient upon arrival at the Emergency Medical Services department of their hospital.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The total response rate was 56.9% (530/932). Of the total respondents, 35% of the clinicians used cricoid pressure routinely, most respondents (68%) stated that they pre-oxygenate the patients for about 3 min prior to RSI, thiopentone (61%) and propofol (34%) were commonly used prior to intubation. Rocuronium was the muscle relaxant of choice for RSI among the majority (44%), compared to succinylcholine (39%). Statistical analyses were performed after the initial entry onto a spreadsheet. Data were summarised descriptively using frequency distribution.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In a rapid sequence intubation situation, the practice differed significantly among anaesthesiologists. Owing to disagreements and paucity of evidence-based data regarding the standards of RSI, it is apparent that RSI practice still has considerable variability in clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, JIPMER, Puducherry, India.
authors.forename: Satyen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Parida
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, JIPMER, Puducherry, India.
authors.forename: Ramesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Varadharajan
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, JIPMER, Puducherry, India.
authors.forename: Prasanna Udupi
authors.initials: PU
authors.lastname: Bidkar
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, JIPMER, Puducherry, India.
authors.forename: Sandeep Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Mishra
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, JIPMER, Puducherry, India.
authors.forename: Hemavathi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Balachander
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, JIPMER, Puducherry, India.
authors.forename: Ashok Shankar
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Badhe
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, JIPMER, Puducherry, India.
authors.forename: Pankaj
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kundra
keywords: Anaesthesiologists; cricoid pressure; endotracheal intubation; head injury; rapid sequence intubation