OPA and NPA use

[PRPGfirerescuetech]

My OPA / NPA theory

IF you use an OPA, it has to be remove when ALS attempts the oral intubation.

IF you use an NPA, it can, in theory, remain in place during an oral intubation.

Saves time form a BLS airway to have to be re-placed if the oral intubation attempt is unsuccessful.

I tend to only gravitate to OPA use when NPA use is contra-indicated

Just my thing...

PRPG

[ptemt]

Ace,

Links worked, good reads, thanks!

I can hardly wait to get some experience so I can post my perspective and then get slapped around by the Jedi Knights. :mrgreen:

[andrean678]

I have used NPA's approx. 6 times over the last 2.5 years. I have yet to use an OPA. A great test of unresponsiveness in someone you know is faking it, but is a great actor/actress? An NPA!

[OperaGhost]

im just a student, but in MI basics can intubate. COMBI TUBE BAY BAY! its sweet.

Also, instructor prefers NPAs...almost as good an adjunct as an OPA, and you can suction better, et al also.

BTW, is the right nostril thing real, or is this a joke played by you oldsters, like the left handed screwdriver thing...

[OperaGhost]

forgot to mention, if the pt responds to airway adjunct, you shouldnt be using it, or you should be promptly taking it out per angel, LOL.

gag reflex sucks. in reverse. or something. i dont know, im just in night school for a semester and know nothing, just ask dustkettle, or whatever.

[Ace844]

im just a student, but in MI basics can intubate. COMBI TUBE BAY BAY! its sweet.

Also, instructor prefers NPAs...almost as good an adjunct as an OPA, and you can suction better, et al also.

BTW, is the right nostril thing real, or is this a joke played by you oldsters, like the left handed screwdriver thing...

Am I the only that these statements make shake, shiver, sadly bow my head and turn it from side to side...?!?!?! I mean is this really what we're coming to in EMS education...???? uuuuhhhhhhhhhhh...siiiiiggggghhhhhhh.....Neva mind, that's wicked screwed up, I withdraw my ? and statement...

ACe844

[akroeze]

Ace, I agree

Combitube is not intubation

Is the right nostril thing real? Is that question real?

[JoelEMT]

Well as far as my experiences, I've only ever used OPA's. Currently, the service I work for doesn't even carry NPA's (I've been asking for them for a long time but to no avail so far.) (Given the response time for the nearest ALS unit to where the vast majority of our call volume is NPA's would be fantastic in case of Trismus.)

[OperaGhost]

combi tube is intubation, as it establishes a direct pathway into the trachea.

dont take yourself so seriously, guru.

[Dustdevil]

BTW, is the right nostril thing real, or is this a joke played by you oldsters, like the left handed screwdriver thing...

I'm not sure what's up with the right nostril thing. I've heard that you should start with the right nostril. I just looked and it says that in the 1994 Brady Paramedic textbook. But it doesn't explain why, and I've never been taught that in medic school or nursing school. I just did a pretty extensive Google search and couldn't find any other references to this.