Pre-hospital tracheal intubation versus esophageal gastric tube airway use: a prospective study.

A prospective study compared the respiratory effectiveness of the endotracheal tube (ET) with that of the esophageal gastric tube airway (EGTA) for victims of nontraumatic cardiac arrest in the pre-hospital setting. Arterial blood gases were obtained within 3 minutes of hospital arrival, and survival (defined as discharge from the hospital) was determined. During EGTA ventilation, mean pH was 7.12 +/- 0.2, mean P02 was 77 +/- 92 mm Hg, and mean PC02 was 78.2 +/- 42.9 mm Hg; the survival rate was 4.5%. During ET ventilation, mean pH was 7.34 +/- 0.2, mean P02 was 265 +/- 151 mm Hg, mean PC02 was 35 +/- 20.5 mm Hg; the survival rate was 7%. The authors conclude that endotracheal intubation remains the procedure of choice for airway management in the victim of cardiopulmonary arrest.