{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,19]],"date-time":"2026-01-19T12:33:03Z","timestamp":1768825983335,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"7","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,24]],"date-time":"2022-03-24T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1648080000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJERPH"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Choking is a prevalent source of injury and mortality worldwide. Traditional choking interventions, including abdominal thrusts and back blows, have remained the standard of care for decades despite limited published data. Suction-based airway clearance devices (ACDs) are becoming increasingly popular and there is an urgent need to evaluate their role in choking intervention. The aim of this study was to describe the effectiveness (i.e., resolution of choking symptoms) and safety (i.e., adverse events) of identified airway clearance devices interventions to date. Methods: This retrospective descriptive analysis included any individual who self-identified to manufacturers as having used an ACD as a choking intervention prior to 1 July 2021. Records were included if they contained three clinical variables (patient\u2019s age, type of foreign body, and resolution of choking symptoms). Researchers performed data extraction using a standardized form which included patient, situational, and outcome variables. Results: The analysis included 124 non-invasive (LifeVac\u00a9) and 61 minimally invasive (Dechoker\u00a9) ACD interventions. Median patient age was 40 (LifeVac\u00a9, 2\u201380) and 73 (Dechoker\u00a9, 5\u201384) with extremes of age being most common [&lt;5 years: LifeVac\u00a9 37.1%, Dechoker\u00a9 23.0%; 80+ years: 27.4%, 37.7%]. Food was the most frequent foreign body (LifeVac\u00a9 84.7%, Dechoker\u00a9 91.8%). Abdominal thrusts (LifeVac\u00a9 37.9%, Dechoker\u00a9 31.1%) and back blows (LifeVac\u00a9 39.5%, Dechoker\u00a9 41.0%) were often co-interventions. Resolution of choking symptoms occurred following use of the ACD in 123 (LifeVac\u00a9) and 60 (Dechoker\u00a9) cases. Three adverse events (1.6%) were reported: disconnection of bellows\/mask during intervention (LifeVac\u00a9), a lip laceration (Dechoker\u00a9), and an avulsed tooth (Dechoker\u00a9). Conclusion: Initial available data has shown ACDs to be promising in the treatment of choking. However, limitations in data collection methods and quality exist. The second phase of this evaluation will be an industry independent, prospective assessment in order to improve data quality, and inform future choking intervention algorithms.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph19073846","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,25]],"date-time":"2022-03-25T00:05:18Z","timestamp":1648166718000},"page":"3846","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":11,"title":["Phase One of a Global Evaluation of Suction-Based Airway Clearance Devices in Foreign Body Airway Obstructions: A Retrospective Descriptive Analysis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"19","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7465-3264","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cody L.","family":"Dunne","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N2T9, Canada"},{"name":"International Drowning Researchers\u2019 Alliance, Kuna, ID 83634, USA"}]},{"given":"Selena","family":"Osman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N4N1, Canada"}]},{"given":"Kayla","family":"Viguers","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John\u2019s, NL A1C5S7, Canada"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8395-1837","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana Catarina","family":"Queiroga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"International Drowning Researchers\u2019 Alliance, Kuna, ID 83634, USA"},{"name":"EPIUnit, Instituto de Sa\u00fade P\u00fablica da Universidade do Porto, 4050-600 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), 4200-319 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"given":"David","family":"Szpilman","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"International Drowning Researchers\u2019 Alliance, Kuna, ID 83634, USA"},{"name":"Brazilian Lifesaving Society (SOBRASA), Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro 22631-004, Brazil"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6424-1511","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Amy E.","family":"Peden","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"International Drowning Researchers\u2019 Alliance, Kuna, ID 83634, USA"},{"name":"School of Population Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia"},{"name":"College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2022,3,24]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"Health Canada (2011). 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