A Comparison of Two Open Surgical Cricothyroidotomy Techniques by Military Medics Using a Cadaver Model

Robert L. Mabry, MD; Matthew C. Nichols, DO; Drew C. Shiner, MD; Scotty Bolleter, BS, EMT-P; Alan Frankfurt, MD

Annals of Emergency Medicine, Ann Emerg Med. 2014 Jan;63(1):1-5.

Description with Key Points

The CricKey is a novel surgical cricothyroidotomy device combining the functions of a tracheal hook, stylet, dilator, and bougie incorporated with a Melker airway cannula. This study compares surgical cricothyroidotomy with standard open surgical versus Cric Key technique

Participants included US Army combat medics credentialed at the emergency medical technician–basic level. After a brief anatomy review and demonstration, 15 military medics with minimal training performed in random order standard open surgical cricothyroidotomy and CricKey surgical cricothyroidotomy on cadavers. Compared with the standard open surgical cricothyroidotomy technique, military medics demonstrated faster insertion with the CricKey. First-pass success was notsigniﬁcantly different between the techniques.

Key Graphic

A Comparison of Two Open Surgical Cricothyroidotomy Techniques by Military Medics Using a Cadaver Model

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Take Home Message

Medics were able to insert the CricKey in significantly less time (34 sec vs 65 sec.)

Though not statistically significant, there were three failures with the open surgical technique, and none with the CricKey.

Under test conditions, medics were faster and more successful using the CricKey technique compared to the open surgical technique.