Different Types of OPAs

[Summit]

Is there really much difference in performance?

Our service uses mostly Hudsons.

Hudson

Guedel

Berman

[Ridryder 911]

Wow ! Summit that is the first time I have seen Hudson in 25 yrs... I just remembered they cost more, never seen or used Guegal, we order the Berman type by the case full....

Be safe,

Ridryder 911

[vs-eh?]

We use Guedel.

[UMassEMS18]

Both services I work for use Berman. I've never used the others so I really can't compare.

[bandaidpatrol]

I used the same box of Hudson airways for 15 years! That's right, 15 years, I pulled them out of the patients mouth, washed it and put it back in the box. I threw them away when one of them was almost falling apart, and they had gotten all gummy and soft. Remember, they were solid plastic, so to get soft meant in that time some kind of chemical reaction in a junkies mouth had to ruin them. Damn junkies, I could have gotten 5, if not ten more years out of them! I like the solid plastic, with the hole in the middle, just because.

But when it comes down to maintaining an airway, I don't give a damn what it is, as long as it does the same job as the other guy. The only down side to Hudson is that the whole kit costs about 36 bucks - and that's now. That eight piece airway kit cost 50 bucks or more 25 years ago! Separate the still cost 4 or 5 bucks for a single airway. While the other brands cost less than 5 bucks a kit; and a single berman airway costs like nineteen cents.

[supasta.]

We use Hudson in the ED, although I prefer Berman.

[Richard B the EMT]

I'm used to the Bermans, but strictly use them as one use disposable. I remember, many years ago, seeing a reusable Aluminum airway set.

[EMTChris]

I've always trained and used Bermans. The thought of a re-useable airway makes me wanna puke. How can you re-use an OPA but justify throwing out a NRB?

[bandaidpatrol]

I've always trained and used Bermans. The thought of a re-useable airway makes me wanna puke. How can you re-use an OPA but justify throwing out a NRB?

Must be a youngin! You didn't throw them away, unless you planned on "borrowing" one from another bus. You throw everything away these days, they only thing we threw away back then was gauze products. We washed and reused all the oxygen masks, resuscitator bags, airways (except endotracheal), collars, sandbags, sheets, same pillow-every patient-no cover. That's what bleach and alcohol was for. Except that after years of use, alcohol makes plastic gummy and rubber hard. Hudson also made hard rubber OPA's, they were always too slippery, we'd lose them all the time. We used the same oxygen mask in the Lytport for a month at a time, the 'ambu bag' came in a set of three for about 175 bucks. Why would you throw a 58 dollar resuscitator away? The masks alone cost 30 bucks!

[jvwain]

i've used the berman and guedel in an ED...i always thought the berman was easier to suction around then the guedel...