This Seattle ICU doctor is recommending that other doctors just generally skip positive pressure ventilation and move directly to intubation, because they feel it's inevitable that the patient will shortly need intubation if they currently need positive pressure.
> "given the inevitable rapid progression to ETT once resp decompensation begins, we and other hosps, including Wuhan, are doing early intubation. Facemask is fine, but if needing HFNC or NPPV just tube them. They definitely will need a tube anyway, & no point risking the aerosols."
This Seattle ICU doctor is recommending that other doctors just generally skip positive pressure ventilation and move directly to intubation, because they feel it's inevitable that the patient will shortly need intubation if they currently need positive pressure.
> "given the inevitable rapid progression to ETT once resp decompensation begins, we and other hosps, including Wuhan, are doing early intubation. Facemask is fine, but if needing HFNC or NPPV just tube them. They definitely will need a tube anyway, & no point risking the aerosols."