Incidence and Outcomes of Emergency Physician-Performed Awake Intubations: A Report From the Airway Interventions Registry and Observational Database

The authors aimed to assess the incidence, practice patterns, and outcomes of awake tracheal intubations performed by emergency physicians in a tertiary-care emergency department. They found that out of 1,213 intubations screened over ten years, 7.2% were awake intubations, achieving a high overall success rate of 92% without major adverse events, and a first-pass success rate of 71%. The study highlights the feasibility and safety of awake intubation in emergency settings, despite the presence of predictors for difficulty in many patients.