[Different levels of experience with anesthetic agents of German emergency physicians : Results of an online survey].

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: In 2015 practice management guidelines on prehospital emergency anesthesia in adults were published in Germany. The aim of the present study was to evaluate whether emergency physicians follow these guidelines in daily practice and to assess their level of experience with the use of anesthetic agents.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: In an online survey the way of induction of preclinical anesthesia (including preoxygenation time and applied monitoring techniques) was assessed with the help of virtual scenarios based on the guidelines. Furthermore, the individual level of experience with specific anesthetic agents was estimated by the total number of anesthetic procedures performed with these drugs (0, 1-10, 11-25, 26-50, 51-100, and >100 procedures).

RESULT: A total of 155 emergency physicians answered the online survey. Except for cardiac patients and for the preoxygenation time, we found a high accordance between specific algorithms proposed in the guidelines and emergency physicians' clinical practice. Furthermore, the median level of experience with rocuronium and succinylcholine was significantly higher compared to vecuronium. With respect to induction agents the highest level of experience was found for propofol and thiopental, the lowest for the combination of ketamine/propofol and midazolam. Generally, compared to non-anesthetists, emergency physicians had significantly higher levels of experience with the use of these anesthetic agents (except for etomidate and vecuronium). Over 94% used a 4-lead electrocardiogram (ECG), pulse oxymetry, non-invasive blood pressure and quantitative capnography for monitoring. The availability of succinylcholine was 91%, rocuronium 55%, vecuronium 29% and sugammadex 9%.

CONCLUSION: The results of this survey demonstrate that clinical practice of emergency physicians is in high accordance with the recommendations named in the guidelines for prehospital emergency anesthesia in adults (except for cardiac patients and time of preoxygenation). With respect to the lower levels of experience of non-anesthetists in the use of anesthetic drugs, specific training concepts may help to further improve the quality of preclinical emergency care.