BACKGROUND: Endotracheal intubation in morbidly obese patients is usually difficult and may lead to traumatic complications. METHODS: We compared the median time needed for endotracheal intubation, between a newly introduced device, the AirTraq optical laryngoscope, and a standard device, the Macintosh blade. The study group comprised adult patients scheduled for elective abdominal surgery, with a BMI >39. RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients were enrolled in the study. The time to successful insertion of an endotracheal tube was 29 and 49 sec in the AirTraq and the Macintosh groups, respectively. In the AirTraq group, additional manoeuvres were required to improve the laryngeal view in 7 cases. In the Macintosh group, an elastic guidewire was used to facilitate endotracheal intubation. No traumatic complications were observed in either group. CONCLUSION: The optical AirTraq laryngoscope proved to be more useful than the Macintosh blade for faster and easier intubation in morbidly obese patients.
BACKGROUND: Endotracheal intubation in morbidly obesepatients is usually difficult and may lead to traumatic complications. METHODS: We compared the median time needed for endotracheal intubation, between a newly introduced device, the AirTraq optical laryngoscope, and a standard device, the Macintosh blade. The study group comprised adult patients scheduled for elective abdominal surgery, with a BMI >39. RESULTS: Sixty-eight patients were enrolled in the study. The time to successful insertion of an endotracheal tube was 29 and 49 sec in the AirTraq and the Macintosh groups, respectively. In the AirTraq group, additional manoeuvres were required to improve the laryngeal view in 7 cases. In the Macintosh group, an elastic guidewire was used to facilitate endotracheal intubation. No traumatic complications were observed in either group. CONCLUSION: The optical AirTraq laryngoscope proved to be more useful than the Macintosh blade for faster and easier intubation in morbidly obesepatients.
Authors: Aleksandra Gavrilovska-Brzanov; Mohhamed Al Jarallah; Andrea Cogliati; Maja Mojsova-Mijovska; Dragan Mijuskovic; Dimce Slaveski Journal: Acta Inform Med Date: 2015-10-05