Advanced airways in EMS are in heated debate today. There are two extremes. Give it or cut it. Some medical directors are granting crews RSI (rapid sequence intubation) in the field. While others are cutting intubation as a whole and utilizing devices like the iGel.
There are so many combinations of medications you can use for induction in a chemically assisted intubation. The one that was recently brought to my attention was Ketamine.
Ketamine has been a wonder drug in EMS. It has been beneficial in taking down the giant muscled bound tweeker that’s fighting a gaggle of police officers. It is excellent in pain management. But, as an induction agent in intubation it has been scrutinized highly as there is a lot of complications that come with a wonder drug. This paper discusses some of those complications.
Ketamine lost in the unfair fight against RSI. There were too many variables including spontaneous breathing and vomiting.
Take a look for yourself!
Medic Up! 