Advancing emergency care: A 20-year bibliometric analysis of prehospital
airway suction research

Advancing emergency care: A 20-year bibliometric analysis of prehospital
airway suction research

airway suction; bibliometric analysis; portable suction;
prehospital; SALAD technique

Background: Prehospital airway suction is a critical intervention for
maintaining airway patency in emergencies, especially in trauma, cardiac
arrest, or airway obstruction. Despite its clinical significance, research on
its effectiveness, device innovation, and procedural outcomes remains
underrepresented compared to other airway management practices.
Purpose: This study systematically maps the scientific landscape, research
trends, and thematic structures of prehospital airway suction, identifying
clusters, gaps, and future directions.
Methods: A bibliometric analysis was conducted using Publish or Perish to
retrieve articles from Scopus and PubMed (2005–2025) with the keyword

“prehospital airway suction.” Data were analysed using VOSviewer for co-
occurrence of terms in titles and abstracts, producing network, overlay, and

density visualisations.
Results: From 90 relevant publications, 71 (78.89%) directly addressed
prehospital airway suction. Five thematic clusters emerged: (1) airway devices
and preparation, (2) healthcare providers and prehospital procedures, (3)

suction effectiveness and safety, (4) advanced techniques such as Suction-
Assisted Laryngoscopy and Airway Decontamination (SALAD), and (5)

clinical outcomes and evaluations. Overlay visualisation revealed a recent
research shift (2020–2025) toward portable device innovation, advanced
suction methods, and simulation-based training. The most cited work was
Prekker et al. (2014), cited 79 times.
Conclusion: This first bibliometric study on prehospital airway suction
highlights priorities in procedural standardisation, portable and efficient

device development, effective suction techniques, and enhanced simulation-
based training. The findings offer a reference for future research targeting

specific populations, extreme emergencies, and the integration of emerging
technologies.

Ardian Jafar A. Hukum* , Sidik Awaludin

http://jkp.fkep.unpad.ac.id/index.
php/jkp

December 10, 2025

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