Anaesthesia and intensive care
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Cricothyroidotomy is infrequently performed in the intensive care unit but may be a lifesaving procedure. The aim of this study was to determine the number of attempts required by trainees to gain adequate skills for a successful cricothyroidotomy (defined as lung inflation <60 seconds). The effect of training on time to completion of cricothyroidotomy was also studied. ⋯ Age, years of postgraduate practice and level of seniority appeared to be associated with earlier success. Consecutive attempts on a manikin led to an improvement in the time to completion of cricothyroidotomy and rate of a successful outcome (<60 seconds). We recommend that clinicians undergo at least five training attempts on a manikin to gain proficiency in cricothyroidotomy.