II. Background
- Preoxygenation is critical to maximizing time to attempt intubation
- "Only contraindication to preoxygenation is that the patient is on fire"
- Baro (2012) APLS, HCMC, Minneapolis
- Oops Mnemonic (Levitan)
- Oxygen On
- Apply 15 lpm by Nasal Cannula for Apneic Oxygenation
- Pull Mandible forward
- Sit patient up (to 20 degrees)
- Oxygen On
- Nasal oxgenation
- Dr. Levitan describes the nose as the neglected orifice
- Vomit and plastic via the mouth
- Oxygen and ventilation via the nose
- More efficient Oxygen Delivery
- Nasal oxygen is much more comfortable than full masks
- Resources
III. Technique: Patient positioning
- Alveolar ventilation and oygenation improves with head of bed elevated
- Semi-recumbent position with head of bed elevated 20 degrees or
- Head of bed elevated in reverse trendelenburg position if spine precautions
IV. Technique: Apneic Oxygenation (Levitan Technique)
- Continue oxygen throughout intubation to prolong period of safe apnea
- Passive Apneic Oxygenation increases oxygen reservoir in lungs by 6 fold
- Oxygen continues to be absorbed passively at a rate of 250 ml/min during apnea
- Carbon dioxide slowly accumulates during apnea
- Increases at a rate of 10 ml/min (3-5 mmHg increased pCO2/minute)
- Apneic Oxygenation has sustained patients at 98-100% Oxygen Saturation for up to 55 minutes
- Severe acidosis resulted (due to hypercarbia), but no Hypoxia occurred
- http://www.rtjournalonline.com/apneic oxygenation in man-Frumin Anesthes 1959.pdf
- Frumin (1959) Anesthesiology 20:789-98 [PubMed]
- Allows for significant increase in safe intubation time
- Oxygen carrying capacity and delivery is dependent on 3 factors
- Requires patent alveoli, patent upper airway and adequate Hemoglobin
- Technique
- Consider delivery via Nasal Trumpet once patient sedated
- Oxygen by Nasal Cannula at 15 L/min (in addition to oxygen by Non-Rebreather Mask)
- Children: Use 5 L/min by Nasal Cannula until sedated and then increase
- Awake patients: Start with 5 L/min and titrate to 15 L/min by Nasal Cannula
- Obesity: Consider high flow rates that continue during intubation (prone to rapid desaturation)
- High Flow Nasal Cannula
- Standard Nasal Cannula at very high wall rates (e.g. 40 L/min)
- Efficacy
- Without Apneic Oxygenation, one third of intubations desaturate to <90% (median time 80 seconds)
- Apneic Oxygenation improves Endotracheal Intubation first pass success
V. Technique: Preoxygenation
-
Functional Residual Capacity (FRC) and Oxygen Reserves
- FRC is the lung's end-expiratory gas reserve and is 25 to 30 mL/kg in adults (2 L in a 70 kg adult)
- Goal of preoxygenation is to replace other gases (esp. nitrogen, de-nitrogenation) with oxygen
- Oxygen concentration of FRC may be increased with various techniques (as below)
- Very high oxygen flow rates (Flush Rate or HFNC) are most effective at denitrogenation
- Avoid removing oxygen source in non-apneic patients
- A few patient breaths of room air source, will quickly replace oxygen in FRC
- Standard pre-oxygenation
- Deliver oxygen with standard reservoir Non-Rebreather Mask
- Ideally administer additional oxygen by Nasal Cannula at 15 lpm (see above)
- Oxygen flow rate on regulator set to maximum (typically 15-60 L/min)
- Flush rate is with the oxygen valve open to full providing 40 to 70 lpm
- Typical emergency department oxygen tubing diameter can carry 40-50 lpm
- Best pre-oxygenation is at flush-rate with bag-valve mask, non-rebreather, Bipap
- Non-rebreather at flush rate can provide >90% FIO2
- Contrast with typical 60% (due to mask leak with room air entrainment)
- Driver (2017) Ann Emerg Med 69(1):1-6 +PMID:27522310 [PubMed]
- Preoxygenate for at least 3 minutes
- Deliver oxygen with standard reservoir Non-Rebreather Mask
- Rapid pre-oxygenation (if alert)
- Deliver oxygen with tight fitting mask at FIO2 90% or higher
- In ED, Non-Rebreather Mask at flush rate (>40 lpm) AND oxygen by Nasal Cannula 15 lpm
- Patient takes 8 breaths of full Tidal Volume (maximal inhalation and exhalation)
- Deliver oxygen with tight fitting mask at FIO2 90% or higher
VI. Technique: Positive Pressure Ventilation
- Indicated if pre-oxygenation methods above do not increase Oxygen Saturation greater than 93-95%
- Suggests shunting with under-oxygenated alveoli or hypoventilation (see rapid desaturation causes below)
- Avoid insufflating Stomach (aspiration risk) by avoiding inspiratory pressures >15 mmHg
- Consider induction dose of Ketamine if patient cannot tolerate CPAP or BIPAP (see delayed sequence as below)
- Consider Awake Nasotracheal Intubation
- Delivery options if ventilation and oxygenation needed (poor Ventilatory effort, Obesity)
- See Non-Invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation
- BIPAP
- May be preferred over CPAP if respiratory effort is inadequate
- Bag Valve Mask with PEEP Valve (5-15 cm H2O)
- Delivery options if only oxygenation needed (adequate pre-intubation Ventilatory effort)
- See Non-Invasive Positive Pressure Ventilation
- CPAP
- Typical positive pressure pre-oxygenation method
- May be used for positive-pressure pre-oxygenation regardless of mental status
- Assumes a setting of impending intubation
- High Flow Nasal Cannula
- May be continued during intubation (but greater risk of pathogen aerosolization to intubator)
- Frat (2015) N Engl J Med 372(23): 2185-96 [PubMed]
- Miguel-Montanes (2015) Crit Care Med 43(3): 574-83 [PubMed]
- Avoid over aggressive Positive Pressure Ventilation (risk of aspiration)
- Practice optimal Bag-Valve-Mask technique
- Bag slowly and gently (Squeeze-release-release-release-release, Squeeze...)
- Two person technique (two handed mask seal by one person, other person squeezes bag)
- Patient with airway reflexes
- Place two Nasal Airways OR
- Ventilate via Nasal Trumpet (with 15 mm ET adapter) and mouth closed
- Patient without airway reflexes (e.g. comatose)
- Place orotracheal tube and two Nasal Airways OR
- Laryngeal Mask Airway
- References
- Strayer in Herbert (2018) EM:Rap 18(11):1-3
- Practice optimal Bag-Valve-Mask technique
- Prepare for failed intubation attempt
- Maintain readiness to immediately reaaply positive pressure (BiPAP, Bag Valve Mask)
- Have triple set-up available (two intubation methods, LMA or other rescue airway device, Cricothyrotomy)
- Efficacy
- Positive Pressure Ventilation is associated with less post-intubation Hypoxia than standard preoxygenation
VII. Technique: Delayed Sequence Intubation (DSI) or Dissociative Awake Intubation (Weingart and Levitan)
- Indications
- Unable to preoxygenate a severely hypoxic COPD or Asthma patient
- Unable to preoxygenate an uncooperative, angry, aggitated or innebriated patient
- Trauma patients undergoing intubation
- Associated with decreased peri-intubation apnea and better first pass success
- Bandyopadhyay (2023) Anesth Analg 136(5):913-9 +PMID: 37058727 [PubMed]
- Sedation
- Apply High Flow Oxygen
- Nasal Cannula at 15 L/min AND
- Bag-valve-Mask with PEEP Valve at 5-15 cm H2O (or CPAP or BIPAP)
- Positive End-Expiratory Pressure is required for technique
- Alveoli will otherwise close and not allow oxygenation
- Reposition patient
- Upright or semi-upright (head of bed at 20 degrees)
- Evaluate if oxygenation adequate with above High Flow Oxygen (Oxygen Saturation 95% or greater)
- Oxygen Saturation 95% or greater
- Preoxygenate for 2-3 minutes
- Oxygen Saturation <95%
- Suggests shunt pathology (Atelectasis or airway with blood or other fluid)
- Use Positive Pressure Ventilation methods (CPAP, BiPAP, BVM with PEEP Valve) as described above
- Oxygen Saturation 95% or greater
- Intubation (if still needed for persistent Hypoxia or respiratory distress)
- Follow Rapid Sequence Intubation Algorithym with paralytic (using Ketamine above as the induction agent)
- References
- Orman and Weingart in Herbert (2018) EM:Rap 18(1): 10
- Braude and Weingart in Herbert (2014) EM:Rap 14(6): 12-13
- Weingart (2015) Ann Emerg Med 65(4): 349-55 +PMID: 25447559 [PubMed]
- Weingart (2012) Ann Emerg Med 59(3): 165-75 [PubMed]
VIII. Precautions: Conditions with fast desaturation on intubation attempts (mnemonic: POPS)
- Mechanisms
- Low Functional Residual Capacity
- Increased Oxygen Consumption
- Pediatrics
- Obesity
- Pregnancy (consider upright intubation)
- Fetal Hemoglobin is oxygen avid
-
Smoke Inhalation
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
- Cyanide Poisoning
IX. References
- Braude and Levitan in Herbert (2012) EM:RAP 12(4): 1
- Weingart and Swaminathan in Swadron (2023) EM:Rap 23(9)
- Levitan (2013) Practical Airway Management Course, Baltimore
- Delay (2008) Anesth Analg 107(5): 1707-13 [PubMed]
- Weingart (2012) Ann Emerg Med 59(3):165-75 [PubMed]