• J L Iglesias González, M A Gómez-Ríos, J L Poveda Marina, and J M Calvo-Vecino.
• Departamento de Anestesiología y Medicina Perioperatoria, Complejo Asistencial Universitario de Salamanca, Salamanca, España.
• Rev Esp Anestesiol Reanim. 2018 Dec 1; 65 (10): 552-557.

Background And ObjectivesUnexpected difficult tracheal intubation and failure to intubate are among the leading causes of anesthesia-related morbidity and mortality. This study was undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of the Airtraq video laryngoscope for tracheal intubation after difficult direct laryngoscopy.Methods75 patients undergoing elective surgery under general anesthesia and whose direct laryngoscopy by a senior anesthesiologist exhibited Cormack-Lehane grade 2b, 3 or 4 were enrolled.ResultsThe Glottic view was improved in all patients when using the Airtraq video laryngoscope, compared with Macintosh laryngoscope. The view was improved by 2 degrees in 17.3% of the cases, by three in 60% and by four grades in 22.7% (P<0.0001). The success rate for intubation was 100% with the Airtraq. Fifty-six patients (74.7%) required a single attempt, sixteen (21.3%) two attempts and three (4%) a third attempt. Intubation difficulty scale indicated that tracheal intubation was performed easily in most cases There were no critical events.ConclusionsTracheal intubation using the Airtraq was effective, simple and safe in patients with difficult laryngoscopy. These results confirm that the Airtraq is a reliable video laryngoscope as a rescue device in cases of difficult laryngeal view with direct laryngoscopy.Copyright © 2018 Sociedad Española de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapéutica del Dolor. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

29 keywords...

hide…