Rapid Intubation Sequence: 4-Year Experience in an Emergency Department

Ángela María Muñoz,1,2 Manuela Estrada,1 Jaime A Quintero,1– 3 Mauricio Umaña1 1Emergency Department, Fundación Valle del Lili, Cali, 760032, Colombia; 2Universidad ICESI, Emergency Medicine Residency, Cali, Colombia; 3Centro de Investigaciones Clínicas (CIC), Fundación Valle del Lili, Cali, 760032, ColombiaCorrespondence: Jaime A Quintero; Mauricio Umaña Email jaime.quintero.ra@fvl.org.co; mauricio.umaña@fvl.org.coBackground: The rapid intubation sequence is advanced airway management that effectively ensures an adequate supply of oxygen in critically ill patients. The medical personnel in the emergency department performed this procedure.Objective: To describe the main characteristics of the rapid intubation sequence in an emergency department of a high complexity hospital.Methods: This is a descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective study. We included all older patients with a rapid intubation sequence requirement in the emergency department from 2014 to 2017. We used central tendency measures for numerical variables and proportions for categorical variables.Results: A total of 401 patients were eligible for this analysis. The main indication for intubation was the Glasgow Coma Scale = < 8 in 170 patients (42.4%), followed by hypoxemia in 142 patients (35.4%). In 36 patients, at least one complication occurred. RSI was performed in 54.4% by emergency physician. RSI was successful on the first attempt in 90.5%. Only 36 patients (9%) presented complications.Conclusion: In this study, we found that the rapid intubation sequence was not related to a high proportion of complications. Perhaps, this is attributed to the degree of medical training and the use of emergency department protocols in our hospital.Keywords: intubation, sequence, rapid intubation, emergencies, RSI