
Simulation of pediatric intubation using a low-cost videolaryngoscope in the setting of the COVID-19 pandemic
Author(s) -
Daniel Rufach,
Silvia Cristina Pereira dos Santos,
Marcelo Terebiznik
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
archivos argentinos de pediatría
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.236
H-Index - 19
eISSN - 1668-3501
pISSN - 0325-0075
DOI - 10.5546/aap.2021.eng.270
Subject(s) - covid-19 , pandemic , intubation , medicine , anesthesia , virology , disease , outbreak , infectious disease (medical specialty)
In patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, endotracheal intubation is a procedure with a high risk for transmission. A videolaryngoscopy is a supplementary level of health care provider protection, but commercial videolaryngoscopes are expensive and not always available in pediatric intensive care units in Argentina. Our objective was to describe intubation practice using an infant head mannequin with a low-cost, handcrafted videolaryngoscope. Fifteen pediatricians with no prior experience using the device participated in an intubation practice in a head mannequin with a handcrafted videolaryngoscope. The average time for the first attempt was 116.4 seconds (95 % confidence interval [CI]: 84.8- 148.0) and, for the second one, 44.2 seconds (95 % CI: 27.7-60.6). Time decreased significantly for the second attempt (p: 0.0001). A successful intubation was achieved with the device in all attempts, and the procedure duration decreased with the second practice.