Capnography: No Trace = Wrong Place

The Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) and the Difficult Airway Society (DAS) have collaborated to create the video resource Capnography: No Trace = Wrong Place.  Presented by Professor Tim Cook, the video shares the important message that during cardiac arrest, if a capnograhy trace is completely flat, oesophogeal intubation should be assumed until proven otherwise. 

Please click here to watch the video.

The College recommends that all clinicians involved in the management of airways should take the time to watch this video and help share this important message. The video is accompanied by a slideshow presentation, which can be downloaded here. It is recommended that this presentation is given at the next departmental meeting.

Recently there have been two patient deaths associated with oesophageal intubation, which are highlighted in Coroner’s Reports available at www.judiciary.uk – more details are available in the video and within the slideshow presentation.

RCoA and DAS also partnered on the ground breaking 4th National Audit Project (NAP4): Major Complications of Airway Management in the United Kingdom, which also discusses cases of undetected oesophogeal intubation.

If you have any questions about the materials please contact: clinicalquality@rcoa.ac.uk