Refraining from pre-hospital advanced airway management: a prospective observational study of critical decision making in an anaesthesiologist-staffed pre-hospital critical care service

Table 1 Pre-hospital critical care anaesthesiologists’ reasons for considering pre-hospital advanced airway management (n = 347)

Indication	Total*	%
Decreased level of consciousness	122	35.2
Hypoxemia	67	19.3
Ineffective ventilation	55	15.9
Existing airway obstruction	4	1.2
Impending airway obstruction	27	7.8
Anaesthesia to combative or agitated patient	3	0.9
Anaesthesia for pain relief or distress	5	1.4
Cardiac arrest	197	56.8
Other indications	10	2.9

*Physicians may have more than one reason for considering pre-hospital advanced airway management.

ISSN: 1757-7241