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Product Review: S.A.L.T. (Supraglottic Airway Laryngopharyngeal Tube) Airway System

This is a guest post by Steve Lercari BA/BS, EMT-P. If you want to guest post on this blog, check out the guidelines here.

Note: On November 29, 2012 ECOLAB contacted me to let readers know that the S.A.L.T. II is now available. Find information on their website. Read about improvements to the S.A.L.T.

S.A.L.T. (Supraglottic Airway Laryngopharyngeal Tube) Airway System
Made by: MDI (medical devices international)
Sales: ECOLAB Inc.

SALT AirwayRecently I had the opportunity to test out the S.A.L.T Airway, courtesy of ECOLAB’s Eastern Region salesperson for the device. Testing was limited to a laboratory setting since this device is not approved for patient use by the area’s Regional Medical Advisory Committee. The device performed surprisingly well in our limited testing and delivered on the claims made on the company website. I’m excited about this product because as we perform less and less intubations in favor of managing a stable airway with less-invasive BLS modalities. Any product that gives us a solid advantage is a welcomed addition to any airway kit.

SALT Advantages:
Essentially the product is inserted similar to an OPA and then the endotracheal tube is placed through the device and checked/secured as usual. Everyone present who used the S.A.L.T. enjoyed almost a 90% first-attempt success rate. Even with mannequins positioned in every manner possible, including upside down and in the smallest room we could find, intubations went extremely well and always well below recommended time frames.

The device comes in a pre-packaged kit that includes a Tongue Blade and the Tube Securing Device. The S.A.L.T. acts as a container which provides additional stabilization of the tube as opposed to just using a strap and it accommodates ET Tube sizes of 6.5mm – 9.0mm (per manufacturer).

SALT AirwayImprovement Suggestion:
The instructions tell you up front that the lower portion of the S.A.L.T. needs lubrication. Unfortunately a lubricant is the one item not included in the kit and yet it seems to be the most important. Without proper lubrication the tube was almost impossible to advance through the device.

Conclusion:
Further results from the field will ultimately determine its future, but I am excited about how the S.A.L.T. performed in our limited laboratory setting. I encourage you to visit the MDI website and do your own research. The potential exists to be one of the next big things in airway management.

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Steve Lercari BA/BS, EMT-P, has worked in the EMS field for the past 11 years, 8 of those as a paramedic. For the last year he has been stationed in the South Bronx, NY and also works as a FF/Medic for a Fire District on Long Island. Additionally, he is a skills instructor and guest lecturer at several EMT Schools in Queens, and a Authorized Trainer for the Center for Domestic Preparedness. His interests in EMS include specialized operations/technical rescue for which he is a Certified Rescue Swimmer and trained in Confined Space Rescue.

By First Arriving

Dave is an EMS provider based in New York City for over 20 years and has been blogging for over 10 years. He is experienced in all facets of EMS Service Management, Emergency Management, and specializes in Event Medical Services. He maintains a blog at DavidKonig.com, is an EMS1.com Columnist, and will be authoring on all things social (including Social Media) here at The Social Medic.