• K Nishikawa, S Kawana, and A Namiki.
• Department of Anesthesiology, Sapporo Medical University, School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
• J Clin Anesth. 2001 Jun 1;13(4):259-63.

Study ObjectiveTo clarify the efficacy of the lightwand technique compared with that of the conventional laryngoscopic technique for awake endotracheal intubation in patients requiring emergency surgery.DesignProspective clinical study.SettingAnesthesia department of a teaching hospital.Patients60 ASA physical status IE patients undergoing emergency surgery.InterventionsAwake intubations using the lightwand technique (LW group) and a laryngoscope (LS group) were performed with conscious sedation with midazolam and fentanyl.Measurements And Main ResultsTime to intubation and number of intubation attempts in the LW group were significantly shorter and smaller, respectively, than those in the LS group (p < 0.01). Fewer LW group patients complained of a sore throat than in the LS group. DeltaP [changes from "before intubation" to "immediately after intubation" in mean arterial pressure (MAP)] in the LS group was significantly larger than that in the LW group (p < 0.05), although doses of sedatives in the two groups were not different. No hypoxemia or apnea associated with sedation was found in either of the groups.ConclusionsThe lightwand technique produces less magnitude of stress following tracheal intubation than does the conventional laryngoscopic technique for awake intubation. Lightwand-assisted awake intubation is thought to be a useful means for induction of anesthesia in cases of emergency surgery.

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