Expert Consensus Panel Recommendations for Selection of the Optimal Supraglottic Airway Device for Inclusion to the Medic's Aid Bag.

INTRODUCTION: Airway obstruction is the second leading cause of potentially survivable death on the battlefield. The Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care (CoTCCC) has evolving recommendations for the optimal supraglottic airway (SGA) device for inclusion to the medics' aid bag. METHODS: We convened an expert consensus panel consisting of a mix of 8 prehospital specialists, emergency medicine experts, and experienced combat medics, with the intent to offer recommendations for optimal SGA selection. Prior to meeting, we independently reviewed previously published studies conducted by our study team, conducted a virtual meeting, and summarized the findings to the panel. The studies included an analysis of end-user after action reviews, a market analysis, engineering testing, and prospective feedback from combat medics. The panel members then made recommendations regarding their top 3 choices of devices including the options of military custom design. Simple descriptive statistics were used to analyze panel recommendations. RESULTS: The preponderance (7/8, 88%) of panel members recommended the gel-cuffed SGA, followed by the self-inflating-cuff SGA (5/8, 62%) and laryngeal tube SGA (5/8, 62%). Panel members expressed concerns primarily related to the (1) devices' tolerance for the military environment, and (2) ability to effectively secure the gel-cuffed SGA and the self-inflating-cuff SGA during transport. CONCLUSIONS: A preponderance of panel members selected the gel-cuff SGA with substantial feedback highlighting the need for military-specific customizations to support the combat environment needs.

Review of Commercially Available Supraglottic Airway Devices for Prehospital Combat Casualty Care.

BACKGROUND: Airway obstruction is the second leading cause of potentially survivable death on the battlefield. The Committee on Tactical Combat Casualty Care lists airway optimization among the top 5 battlefield research and development priorities; however, studies show that combat medics lack access to the recommended supraglottic airway (SGA) devices. SGA devices are an alternative airway management technique to endotracheal tube intubation. Reports have shown SGA devices are easier to use and take fewer attempts to provide patent airflow to the patient when compared to endotracheal tube intubation. Military settings require a higher degree of skill to perform airway management on patients due to the environment, limited availability of equipment, and potential chaos of the battlefield. Finding the optimal SGA device for the military setting is an unmet need. The International Organization for Standardization describes basic functional requirements for SGA devices, as well as patient configurations and size limitations. Beyond that, no SGA device manufacturer states that their devices are intended for military settings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a market review of 25 SGA devices that may meet inclusion into the medics' aid bag. The company's official "Instructions for Use" document, Google Scholar, and FDA reports were reviewed to obtain information for each SGA device. RESULTS: Twenty-five commercially available SGA devices are explored from manufacturer online sources. A commercially available device list is shown later in this paper, which provides the device's features, indications, and contraindications based on the manufacturer's product information documentation. CONCLUSIONS: There are a variety of devices that require further testing to determine whether they should be included in sets, kits, and outfits.