Chulde-Matute et al. (2025)
airway, optimizing ventilation and enabling diagnostic or therapeutic procedures in out-of-hospital
environments. Although it is performed in a small proportion of emergency medical service
activations, its impact on morbidity and mortality may be substantial, particularly in patients with
major trauma, neurological impairment or acute respiratory failure. Objective: To describe the
pathophysiological principles, indications, drugs, techniques and complications associated with
emergency anaesthesia in the prehospital setting in adults, and to summarize practical
recommendations that can be adapted to emergency medical systems in middle-income countries
such as those in Latin America. Methods: A narrative review of the literature was conducted using
biomedical databases (PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar), supplemented with clinical
practice guidelines from international scientific societies on advanced airway management and
prehospital anaesthesia. Original articles, reviews and consensus documents published mainly
between 2015 and 2025 in English and Spanish, addressing prehospital emergency anaesthesia
in adults, were included. Results: PHEA is based on a modified rapid sequence induction with
orotracheal intubation, achieving high success rates when performed by trained teams, although
it still carries a risk of haemodynamic and respiratory complications. The most frequently used
drug regimens combine opioids, hypnotics and neuromuscular blocking agents, with ketamine
and rocuronium standing out for their profile in critically ill patients. Appropriate drug selection,
anticipatory planning, monitoring and teamwork are key to minimising adverse events.
Conclusions: Emergency anaesthesia in the prehospital setting is a complex and high-risk
intervention that should be performed to standards similar to those in hospital, within systems
with strong clinical governance. Strengthening staff training, protocol standardisation and local
research is essential to improve safety and outcomes in adult patients managed in prehospital
environments.
Keywords: prehospital emergency anaesthesia; airway management; rapid sequence induction;
out-of-hospital emergency care.
de reanimación y soporte vital en
1. Introducción
pacientes adultos.
La vía aérea permeable y una
ventilación adecuada constituyen
prioridades absolutas en la atención
del paciente crítico. En el ámbito
prehospitalario, la combinación de
escenarios hostiles, limitaciones de
recursos y tiempo restringido obliga
a tomar decisiones rápidas que
pueden marcar el pronóstico del
paciente. En este contexto, la
La AEP se define, de manera
general, como la inducción de
anestesia general y la intubación
orotraqueal
extrahospitalario, mediante una
técnica de inducción rápida
en
el
ambiente
modificada y orientada a minimizar el
riesgo de aspiración, hipoxemia e
inestabilidad hemodinámica. Aunque
representa un porcentaje reducido
de los contactos de los servicios de
emergencias médicas, se asocia a
situaciones de alta gravedad, como
el trauma mayor, el traumatismo
anestesia
de
emergencia
prehospitalaria (AEP) surge como
una estrategia para garantizar el
control definitivo de la vía aérea y
permitir intervenciones avanzadas
craneoencefálico,
el
estatus