• Valter Perilli, Paola Aceto, Teresa Sacco, Nunzia Martella, Maria Teresa Cazzato, and Liliana Sollazzi.
• Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, A. Gemelli Hospital, Largo A. Gemelli 8, 00168 Rome, Italy.
• Indian J Anaesth. 2014 Jan 1;58(1):25-9.

BackgroundThe use of suction catheter (SC) has been shown to improve success rate during ProSeal laryngeal mask airway (PLMA) insertion in expert users.AimsThe aim of this study was to compare insertion of PLMA performed by untrained physicians using a SC or the digital technique (DT) in anaesthetised non-paralysed patients.MethodsIn this prospective randomised double-blind study, conducted in the operating setting, 254 patients (American Society of Anaesthesiologists I-II, aged 18-65 years), undergoing minor surgery were enrolled. Exclusion criteria were body mass index >35 kg/m(2), laryngeal or oesophageal varices, risk of aspiration or difficult face mask ventilation either referred or suspected (Langeron's criteria ≥2) and modified Mallampati classification score >2. Participants were randomly allocated to one of the two groups in which PLMA was inserted using DT (DT-group) or SC (SC-group).Statistical AnalysisChi-square test with Yates' correction, Mann-Whitney U-test or Student's t-test were carried-out as appropriate.ResultsThe final insertion success rate was greater in SC-groupcompared with DT-group 90.1% (n = 109) versus 74.4% (n = 99) respectively (P = 0.002). Mean airway leak pressure was higher in SC-group compared to DT-group (23.7 ± 3.9 vs. 21.4 ± 3.2 respectively; (P = 0.001). There were no differences in insertion time, post-operative airway morbidity and complications.ConclusionThe findings of this study suggest that SC-technique improves the success rate of PLMA insertion by untrained physicians.

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