Vijayakumar, ElamanaBosscher, HemmoRenzi, Francis F.Baker, Stephen P.Heard, Stephen O.2022-08-232022-08-231998-04-292008-05-12J Crit Care. 1998 Mar;13(1):1-6.0883-9441 (Print)9556120https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14038/35309PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the occurrence of a difficult intubation and (1) the use of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMB) and (2) the presence of airway injuries. It is a retrospective analysis of data from a trauma registry. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Registry records of patients (n = 160) who required emergent endotracheal intubation or establishment of a surgical airway over a 3.5-year period in the emergency department were reviewed. Risk factors for difficult intubations were identified and analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: NMB were used in 75% of patients requiring intubation. Fifteen percent of the intubations were considered difficult. No association was found between the presence of airway injuries and difficult intubations; however, the use of succinylcholine was associated with a lower risk of difficult intubations compared with intubations where a nondepolarizing NMB was used. CONCLUSIONS: The use of succinylcholine may result in fewer difficult intubations in the trauma patient than when a nondepolarizing NMB is used. The presence of airway injuries did not appear to predispose to difficult intubations.en-USAdult*Emergency Treatment*Facial InjuriesFemaleHumans*Intubation, IntratrachealMaleNeuromuscular Depolarizing AgentsNeuromuscular Nondepolarizing AgentsRegistriesRespiratory SystemRetrospective StudiesSuccinylcholineVecuronium BromideAnesthesiologyEmergency MedicineLife SciencesMedicine and Health SciencesJournal Articlehttps://escholarship.umassmed.edu/infoservices/55507537infoservices/55