• Andrew King, Justin Morello, Allison Clark, Adrienne Ray, Colleen Martel, Roneisha McLendon, Anne McConville, Melissa Russo, Liane Germond, and Bobby Nossaman.
• From the Department of Anesthesiology, University of Queensland School of Medicine-Ochsner Clinical School, New Orleans, Louisiana.
• South. Med. J. 2022 Mar 1; 115 (3): 198-201.

ObjectivesSecuring the parturient airway is essential during general anesthesia for cesarean delivery. The purpose of this study was to compare inferior airway views provided by the use of three commonly available laryngoscopy blades-Macintosh, Miller, or Glidescope Mac-Style-to the incidence of difficult orotracheal intubation.MethodsFollowing institutional review board approval, data from 449 electronic medical records in parturients undergoing general anesthesia for cesarean delivery were extracted during a 6-year period. The association of these blades with difficult orotracheal intubation was analyzed with risk and proportion differences measures of effect size.ResultsThe overall incidence of difficult orotracheal intubation was 4.2% (95% confidence interval 2.7 - 6.5%), with 6 failed orotracheal intubations (5 laryngeal mask airways rescues and 1 mask rescue). Clinically important increases in risk differences for difficult orotracheal intubation were observed in parturients with restricted mouth openings, modified Mallampati III and IV views, and reduced thyromental distances. When modified Cormack-Lehane views were grouped into III and IV versus I and II cohorts; proportion differences for difficult orotracheal intubation were dependent upon the type of blade used, with the Miller blade providing the lowest proportion difference.ConclusionsMiller blade laryngoscopy provided the lowest proportion difference for difficult orotracheal intubation during general anesthesia for cesarean delivery. Miller blade laryngoscopy provides effective procurement of the parturient airway.

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