Rapid-Sequence Intubation of the Pediatric Patient Review Article

Airway compromise is the most common cause of death and severe morbidity in acutely ill and injured children. Rapid-sequence intubation (RSI) is a technique for emergency airway control designed to maximize successful endotracheal intubation while minimizing the adverse physiologic effects of this procedure. RSI requires familiarity with patient evaluation, airway-management techniques, sedation agents, neuromuscular blocking agents, additional adjunctive agents, and postintubation management techniques. Emergency physicians should use RSI techniques in the endotracheal intubation of critically ill children. [Gerardi MJ, Sacchetti AD, Cantor RM, Santamaria JP, Gausche M, Lucid W, Foltin GL: Rapid-sequence intubation of the pediatric patient. Ann Emerg Med July 1996;28:55-74.]