Introduction: Among critically ill patients undergoing orotracheal intubation in the emergency department ED or intensive care unit ICU , failure to visualise the vocal cords and intubate the trachea on the first attempt is associated with an increased risk of complications.
Two types of laryngoscopes are commonly available: direct laryngoscopes and video laryngoscopes. For critically ill adults undergoing emergency tracheal intubation, it remains uncertain whether the use of a video laryngoscope increases the incidence of successful intubation on the first attempt compared with the use of a direct laryngoscope. The trial plans to enrol up to critically ill adults undergoing orotracheal intubation with a laryngoscope.
Eligible patients are randomised to the use of a video laryngoscope or a direct laryngoscope for the first intubation attempt. The primary outcome is successful intubation on the first attempt. Enrolment began on 19 March and is expected to be completed in Ethics and dissemination: The trial protocol was approved with waiver of informed consent by the single institutional review board at Vanderbilt University Medical Center and the Human Research Protection Office of the Department of Defense.
The results will be presented at scientific conferences and submitted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Trial registration number: ClinicalTrials.
No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. Abstract Introduction: Among critically ill patients undergoing orotracheal intubation in the emergency department ED or intensive care unit ICU , failure to visualise the vocal cords and intubate the trachea on the first attempt is associated with an increased risk of complications.
