Can’t Intubate Can’t Ventilate

Get CMECan't Intubate Can't Ventilate“Can’t Intubate Can’t Ventilate” is one of the frightening statements that causes massive surges of adrenaline in everyone. Unfortunately, most neural synapses don’t function well with that large surge of adrenaline, and it is, therefore, imperative to contemplate how to manage this scenario before it arises.  We have previously discussed Transtracheal Ventilation and have several videos to view, but let us review this important topic briefly once more. Can’t Intubate Can’t Ventilate: How Do I Oxygenate?

 

Can’t Intubate Can’t Ventilate: Anatomy Matters!

  • With larger children and adults, the can’t intubate can’t ventilate scenario often leads to the Cricothyrotomy.
  • In younger children and infants, the differences in anatomy make a traditional cricothyrotomy challenging.
  • In infants and young children:
    • Generous proportions of subcutaneous adipose tissue (chunky little babies are cute…) obscures landmarks.
    • The Hyoid bone is more prominent than the thyroid cartilage.
    • The Thyroid notch is often not palpable.
    • The Cricothyroid membrane is:
      • More horizontally positioned vs its typical vertical position
      • Small!
        • Around 8 years of age it is 1/2 the height and width of an adult’s
        • In neonates, the size is not sufficient enough to insert any commonly used rescue device. [Navsa, 2005]
  • The altered anatomy makes location of the cricothyroid membrane more difficult (if at all possible) and the small size may make it impossible to pass a large cric-tube through.

 

Can’t Intubate Can’t Ventilate: Go Transtracheal

  • This is THE MOST IMPORTANT PROCEDURE TO KNOW!
  • Transtracheal ventilation has been used successfully in children as well as adults. [Frerk, 2015; Cote, 2009]
  • It may not “secure” an airway, but it will provide the patient with oxygen while you sort out the problem (and change your pants).
  • It is also easier than placing an IV in a child!
    • Locate the trachea!
      • If you are able to locate the cricothyroid membrane and it is large enough you can use it
      • Potential to use this catheter later to convert to a guidewire-assisted percutaneous cricothyrotomy. [Boccio, 2015]
    • Load a large gauge needle/catheter (14 gauge), ideally one that is reinforced (as simple peripheral IV catheters are prone to kink and become obstructed) onto a fluid-filled syringe.
    • Aspirate as you enter the skin at a 30-45 degree angle aimed caudally.
    • When you aspirate bubbles, you are in the airway! Advance the catheter and retract the needle.
    • Boom… done. High-Fives all around! {oh wait… we need oxygen!}

 

Can’t Intubate Can’t Ventilate: The Hard Part

  • The most difficult aspect of the procedure is not waiting too long to do it and leading to hypoxic insult.
  • The next most difficult aspect is figuring out how to connect oxygen to the tiny catheter you just placed in the neck.
  • This is where contemplation of how to do this before you need to do it is important, because most of us are not going to successfully “MacGyver it” on the fly.
  • Oxygen Connection Options

    1. Commercial products
      • Have flow regulators that are easy to use. [Cote, 2009]
      • Connect easily via Lure-lock to the catheter.
      • Many have pressure regulators as well.
      • Con = Expensive.
    2. Oxygen Tubing and High Flow O2 from Wall 
      • Not as optimal as commercial products, but may be best you have available.
      • Turn flow up all of the way. [Bould, 2008]
      • Need to “MacGyver” a flow regulator and a connector
        • Flow Regulator
          • Cut large holes (several) in side of oxygen tubing.
          • Need large/multiple holes to allow air flow to egress easily and not add to PEEP. [Sasano, 2014]
          • May also use Y-connector to another oxygen tube.
        • Connector
          • 3-way stop cock can be used to fit into distal end of oxygen tubing and Lure-lock onto the catheter.
          • Need to ensure 3 way valve is open to flow!
    3. Self-Inflating Ventilation Bag [Sasano, 2014]
      • Not as optimal as commercial products, but may be best you have available.
      • 3.0 ETT bag connector
        • Remove from ETT
        • Insert distal end into catheter
      • 7.5 ETT bag connector
        • Remove from ETT
        • Insert into proximal end of 3 mL syringe (after removing the plunger).
        • Use Lure-lock on syringe to connect to catheter
      • Will need to disengage the bag’s pop-off valve.
  • Oxygenate!
    • Occluding the flow regulator will lead to airflow into the trachea (inspiration).
    • Uncovering the flow regulator will allow air flow from oxygen source and patient to escape (expiration).
    • Inspiration : Expiration = 1 second :  4 seconds
    • Use longer expiration phases for completely occluded upper airway (ex, 1:9)
      • Patient will tolerate hypercapnia better than barotrauma/pneumothorax.

 

Moral of the Morsel

  • Do not let the first time you think about transtracheal ventilation be when you realize you need to do it.
  • Know what equipment you have available.
    • If you have a commercial product, know how to use it and where it is.
    • If you don’t have a commercial product, make your MacGyver survival bag and keep it handy with the tools you need, so you don’t need to recall how to do it in the time of need.

 

References

Boccio E1, Gujral R2, Cassara M3, Amato T4, Wie B5, Ward MF6, D’Amore J7. Combining transtracheal catheter oxygenation and needle-based Seldinger cricothyrotomy into a single, sequential procedure. Am J Emerg Med. 2015 May;33(5):708-12. PMID: 25791154. [PubMed] [Read by QxMD]

Frerk C1, Mitchell VS2, McNarry AF3, Mendonca C4, Bhagrath R5, Patel A6, O’Sullivan EP7, Woodall NM8, Ahmad I9; Difficult Airway Society intubation guidelines working group. Difficult Airway Society 2015 guidelines for management of unanticipated difficult intubation in adults. Br J Anaesth. 2015 Dec;115(6):827-48. PMID: 26556848. [PubMed] [Read by QxMD]

Sasano N1, Tanaka A, Muramatsu A, Fujita Y, Ito S, Sasano H, Sobue K. Tidal volume and airway pressure under percutaneous transtracheal ventilation without a jet ventilator: comparison of high-flow oxygen ventilation and manual ventilation in complete and incomplete upper airway obstruction models. J Anesth. 2014 Jun;28(3):341-6. PMID: 24212332. [PubMed] [Read by QxMD]

Coté CJ1, Hartnick CJ. Pediatric transtracheal and cricothyrotomy airway devices for emergency use: which are appropriate for infants and children? Paediatr Anaesth. 2009 Jul;19 Suppl 1:66-76. PMID: 19572846. [PubMed] [Read by QxMD]

Bould MD1, Bearfield P. Techniques for emergency ventilation through a needle cricothyroidotomy. Anaesthesia. 2008 May;63(5):535-9. PMID: 18412654. [PubMed] [Read by QxMD]

Navsa N1, Tossel G, Boon JM. Dimensions of the neonatal cricothyroid membrane – how feasible is a surgical cricothyroidotomy? Paediatr Anaesth. 2005 May;15(5):402-6. PMID: 15828992. [PubMed] [Read by QxMD]

Sean M. Fox
Sean M. Fox

I enjoy taking care of patients and I finding it endlessly rewarding to help train others to do the same. I trained at the Combined Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics residency program at University of Maryland, where I had the tremendous fortune of learning from world renowned educators and clinicians. Now I have the unbelievable honor of working with an unbelievably gifted group of practitioners at Carolinas Medical Center. I strive every day to inspire my residents as much as they inspire me.

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5 Comments

  1. Hi Sean,

    Great stuff, as usual. One quick question comes to mind:

    When loading a large gauge needle/catheter onto a fluid filled syringe, the toughest thing that we run into is finding an IV catheter that allows a syringe to be attached with the needle still exposed. For example, all of the IV needles that we use in our peds ED have retractable needles as a safety feature — thus making it very difficult to attach the syringe without pressing the button that automatically retracts the needle (spring-loaded) into the device itself. Years ago when the “Jelco” needles were used frequently, it was very easy to do as you described in the morsel. Any tips on brands/IV caths to look for that readily accept a fluid filled syringe?

    Thanks for fielding the question!

    • Seth,
      Fantastic question… and one that I forgot to address.
      Yes, if you try to utilize a peripheral IV (large gauge) today, you will run into the problem of the various safety features that they have installed on them (ex, retracting needles, filters, etc). The newer peripheral IV’s usually cannot be loaded onto a syringe either.

      So, what I would generally prefer is a commercial product that is designed specifically for the transtracheal approach as these are usually (1) long, (2) armored, (3) able to be loaded onto a fluid-filled syringe. The length and armored natures are super important, as the short, regular IVs (even of large gauge) will typically bend and become obstructed.

      If, you do not have one of the commercial products, then, what would at least satisfy the length, gauge, and ability to be loaded onto a syringe requirements would be something similar to an arterial line catheter. Typically, a central line kit has an additional arterial catheter within it, so that is where I may look first. Certainly, arterial line kits exist also.

      I hope that that helps!
      I welcome other MacGyver ideas also…. what do you use?

      Thank you,
      sean

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