The Combitube, self-inflating bulb, and colorimetric carbon dioxide detector to advance airway management in the first echelon of the battlefield

Combat lifesavers and Army medics are regular combat soldiers who possess skills that enable them to provide lifesaving assistance to combat casualties. Although their training is not equal to that of paramedics, combat lifesavers and Army medics are trained to assess casualties for airway obstruction, as well as the presence or absence of spontaneous ventilation. They are also familiar with the same basic airway maneuvers that are required for blind insertion of the esophageal-tracheal double-lumen airway (ETDLA). Use of the ETDLA in combination with an esophageal detector device and a colorimetric carbon dioxide detector would require skill similar to that which they already possess in performing many mission-essential and combat lifesaver tasks. Because the U.S. Army has introduced the ETDLA for use, it is important that providers at all echelons understand the dynamics of the ETDLA. Inclusion of the ETDLA, esophageal detector device, and colorimetric carbon dioxide detector in combination with the bag-valve ventilation device could provide a viable alternative to mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing with the oral airway, as currently used by combat lifesavers on the battlefield. Improved airway management, in conjunction with other lifesaving measures, could potentially improve survival rates for combat casualties and assist in stabilizing them for evacuation to higher echelons of combat medical care.