Improving Anesthesia Providers' Needle Cricothyrotomy Success With Ultrasound-Guidance: A Cadaveric Quality Improvement Project

Ten certified registered nurse anesthetists were assessed for ultrasound-guided (USG) needle cricothyrotomy competency following an online and hands-on education session using a human cadaver and then assessed 60 days later, without additional education or preparation. A recent Cochrane systematic review of 133 studies (844,206 participants) demonstrated combinations of bedside screening tests for difficult intubation are poor predictors of a difficult airway. Additionally, accurate CTM identification decreases in female patients, those with prior neck surgery, radiation exposure, neck tumors, and high body mass index ([BMI] >30 kg/m ).' METHODS A convenience sample of 10 certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) were recruited from a large academic medical center and school of nursing in the Southeastern United States.