Key result
The gum elastic bougie is an invaluable device for prehospital tracheal intubation, though up to a third of UK ambulance services do not routinely include it in their airway management strategy.
This article aims to educate paramedics on the use, advantages, and pitfalls of the gum elastic bougie to improve its utilization in prehospital airway management.
Recent guidelines for paramedic intubation have been published by the Joint Royal Colleges Ambulance Liaison Committee (JRCALC) (2008). One important recommendation for paramedic intubation is that: ‘When prehospital tracheal intubation is undertaken, a gum elastic bougie should be available routinely’. Despite this, the bougie has not been universally available among ambulance services in the UK—up to a third do not include the bougie as part of their airway management strategy. We aim to introduce the bougie, provide information on its use, advantages and pitfalls, and provide some tips as to how to get the most out of this invaluable device in clinical practice.
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Hinds et al. (2008) conducted a review in Prehospital tracheal intubation. Gum elastic bougie was evaluated. The gum elastic bougie is an invaluable device for prehospital tracheal intubation, though up to a third of UK ambulance services do not routinely include it in their airway management strategy.
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