Difficult Airway Simulation-based Training

Plain-language summary

Difficult airways remain a significant problem in anaesthesia, intensive care and emergency medicine. Simulation-based training gives better outcomes compared to non-simulation and non-intervention education. However, it remains unclear how long the acquired skills are retained and how often simulation training should repeat. The study aimed to investigate the efficacy and skills retention in training for difficult airway management in anaesthesiologists. After ethical committee approval, we conducted a prospective control study at the postgraduate Department of Surgery, Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy (Bogomolets National Medical University) from July to December 2022. Anaesthesiologists who applied for the continuous medical education course "Difficult airways management" were involved in the study. The simulation room included a mannequin Laerdal SimMom Advanced Patient Simulator, vital monitor, anaesthesia station LEON and airway devices. Each volunteer went through two simulation scenarios of difficult airway management: 1) "cannot intubate, can ventilate" (CI), 2) "cannot intubate, cannot ventilate" (CICV) with the assistance of the training centre operator. The primary endpoints included: more than three laryngoscopy attempts; supraglottic airway attempt missing; call for help skip; failure to initiate a surgical airway (for the CICV scenario). Secondary endpoints included: time to call for help; mean duration of desaturation; use of bougie; use of video laryngoscope (Airtraq); mean number of intubation attempts; improper usage of equipment of equipment, time to initiation of surgical airway preparation; time to initiation of surgical airway ventilation.

Who can participate

What they're measuring

Trial details