Airway Management Practices in Burn Patients: A Protocol for a Scoping Review

Abstract

Loss of airway represents a serious clinical concern in the management of burn patients and frequently prompts early intubation. However, intubation itself carries inherent risks and is not invariably required for optimal care. Concern over the potentially severe consequences of airway compromise may lead clinicians to intubate more often than clinically warranted, thereby exposing patients to complications associated with airway management and mechanical ventilation. The lack of unified guidelines contributes to variation in practice, raising important questions about how burn victims are handled across different clinical settings. We aim to (1) provide a comprehensive overview of studies on airway management in burn patients, (2) describe available clinical decision tools or formal guidelines that support clinicians in deciding when burn‐injured patients should undergo endotracheal intubation, and (3) identify and synthesize reported outcomes with particular attention to adverse events associated with intubation in burn patients.