Objective: To compare the success rates, complication rates and intubation time between the diagnostic-based Rapid Sequence Intubation (RSI) protocol and conventional intubation without muscle relaxants.

Materials and methods: This comparative prospective observational study was conducted at the Emergency Department in Songklanagarind Hospital from 1 April, 2008 to 30 November, 2008. Patients included were those over 18 years old who needed endotracheal intubation at the Emergency Department. The data was divided into 2 groups on consecutive periods; the pre-protocol (conventional) and post-protocol (RSI) groups. The patient’s information included sex, age, vital signs, indication for intubation, intubators, complications, intubation time and drugs used.

Results: There were 45 patients; 38 patients in the conventional group and 7 patients in the RSI group. The overall success rate (intubation in term of ≤ 2 attempts) was 88.9%, without statistically significant between the groups regarding success rate and intubation time (p-value=1.000 and 0.088 respectively). The complication rate in the conventional group was significantly higher than in the RSI group (p-value= 0.047).

Conclusions: This pilot study showed that the RSI had the same success rate and intubation time with the conventional intubation with fewer complications.