King Airway or Combitube

[rmabrey]

For the Emt's and Medics here. Which does your service use and/or which do you prefer.

Ive been watching Youtube videos all day prepping for the Skills Practical tomorrow and the best videos always seem to use the King Airway.

I personally despise it and will test with the Combitube, but we have the option. I know locally AMR uses the Combitube and most county services use the King Airway.

 

[starbreather]

Combitube seems to be most popular ET tube used around my area.

 

[redneckmedic]

Combitube seems to be most popular ET tube used around my area.

Combitube isn't an ET tube, its designed to go in the esophagus. I prefer ETT but that's just me. The Combitube was the original patten because it seems to have a much bigger following. I don't have enough experience with BOTH products to have a preference one way or anther. I do know that the combitube has been there to save my butt a time or two.

 

[Armed & Christian]

Chances are you'll never have the opportunity to sink one in the field, so don't get your hopes up. I did my 1st year as an EMT, but that was a really bad call--guy fell on his head after being electrocuted, and was bleeding so much from his palate that we couldn't suction fast enough for the Medic to get a tube in.

Your Medic will be much more impressed, and it will do your skillset much more good to practice the other things that you can and probably will be doing; splinting, vitals, wound care, and knowing the layout of the drug box so that when you are asked to find the Amiodarone you aren't standing there looking like you got caught with your pecker in your hand.

 

[iamaclone45]

King Airway all the way.

The service I work for had Combitubes when I started and we switched to King Airways just a few months later. While in class for EMT-B all we had was the Combitube. I think Purdue Fire Dept still has Combitubes (they had a large amount in stock) and some of the volunteer services still do but most everyone else has switched to the King Airway in this area.

I’ve used both in the field and much prefer the King Airway. I’ve placed 4 or 5 King Airways in the past 12 months and haven’t had a problem getting any of them in under 30 seconds. (Our service allows and prefers BLS airway maneuvers for Cardiac Arrest victims). I’ve placed once Combitube and it was nothing but epic fail for several reasons.

I’ve also noticed that students have a much easier time with the King Airways, since the procedure to place one involves less manipulation of the tube.

 

[Fireaxes]

Combi-tube. Don't have the aspiration of air into the stomach. Thus less vomiting.

I still won't eat campbell's vegetable soup. 400 pound male cardiac arrest. A shop vac wouldn't have been able to suction fast enough.

 

[iamaclone45]

I gotta a better one, chili and peanut butter sandwich. It was projected out tube #2 of a combitube, upon defibrillation of the patient, and straight up my nose.

Couldn’t eat chili or peanut butter for months....

 

[rmabrey]

You guys realize that im now going to visualize projectile vomit during my airway station tomorrow.

 

[redneckmedic]

Mexican Food and Tequila out the nose and suctioned non-stopped, I managed to tube him anyhow, but wow, that was a tough ride in, all windows open 10 degree weather.

/nasty smells

 

[firemedic140]

Chicken noodle soup, m&m's, chocolate milk. Thick and nasty. Not sure how it came out as thick as it was. Wouldn't suction.