Evaluation of Foreign Body Airway Obstruction Interventions: A Prospective Cohort Study of Adults and Children

University of Calgary640 enrolled

Overview

Foreign body airway obstruction (FBAO, choking) is a life-threatening emergency requiring time-sensitive treatment to prevent severe injury or deaths. Traditional treatments taught in first aid courses include abdominal thrusts, back blows, and chest compressions or thrusts. Currently, first aid guidelines recommend different treatments for adults, child and infants. Until recently, data on these techniques was limited to case series from the late 1900's. To further improve our knowledge of which treatment is most effective and safest for patients, this study will collect data on choking incidents in Alberta, Canada. This study will focus on adults and children over the age of 2 years.

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

640

Conditions

Choking

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 3 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Adult or children (aged greater than 2 years) who experienced an out-of-hospital FBAO in Alberta, Canada * Received a FBAO intervention by bystander or healthcare provider * Were assessed by EMS at the time of the incident, or later attended an emergency department due to the incident Exclusion Criteria: \- Patients with abnormal airway anatomy such as a tracheostomy.

Locations (1)

Virtual

Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Foreign body airway obstruction relief

Defined as: responders determining that the patient did not require further FBAO intervention due to improvement or resolution of their respiratory distress in a conscious patient, or the ability for a responder to successfully ventilate an unconscious patient when previously they were unable to due to obstruction

Time frame: Day 1

Secondary Outcomes

Survival to acute care discharge

Defined as discharge from the care of Emergency Medical Services(EMS) or paramedics, the emergency department, or the hospital.

Time frame: From date of enrolment until the date of acute care discharge or date of death from any cause, whichever came first, assessed up to 3 month

Survival to acute care discharge with favourable neurological outcome

Defined as no change in baseline neurological function (measured using the Cerebral Performance Category)

Time frame: From date of enrolment until the date of acute care discharge or date of death from any cause, whichever came first, assessed up to 3 months

Intervention-associated injuries

Listed summary of any injuries reported among patient recruited for study occurring as a result of the FBAO intervention as determined by the treating physician/care provider