Abstract
BACKGROUND: Airway management forms the most important component of pre-hospital trauma patients' care. In such a setting, the definitive airways may be difficult to establish. This study aimed to evaluate four newer supraglottic airway devices in a simulated condition of an entrapped trauma patient with restricted access. METHODS: An intubation manikin with a cervical collar on was placed on the driver's seat of a passenger car, which was positioned on its left side. The access to the manikin was only allowed from the front. The insertion to successful ventilation (T(iv)) time was recorded. First-pass success and the ease of use were also evaluated. RESULTS: The AuraGain device required the shortest median T(iv) at 7.5 s (Interquartile Range, IQR 4) vs. 9.5 s (IQR 11), p < 0.001. The AuraGain achieved the highest first-pass success-90%. The Baska mask was the most user-friendly, achieving a mean score of 8.6. CONCLUSIONS: The AuraGain outperformed other studied devices concerning the T(iv) as well as the first-pass success. The Baska mask was the easiest to use.