CR#18 Use of the Airtraq in the difficult airway

European Journal of Anaesthesiology 24: 720–732.
P. N. R. Ford;Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital Exeter, UK
C. Hamer, S. Medakkar; Torbay Hospital Torquay, UK

The first case was an anxious 59-yr-old male who was to undergo a total laryngectomy for cancer of the larynx. A Grade 4 view was confirmed at direct laryngoscopy using a Macintosh laryngoscope. The Airtraq® was subsequently used providing Grade 1 views of the glottis and easy passage of an endotracheal tube.

The second case was a 42-yr-old female. A Grade 3 view of the glottis was achieved at direct laryngoscopy using the Macintosh laryngoscope. When the Airtraq® was employed, a Grade 1 view of the glottis was observed and endotracheal intubation allowed to proceed uneventfully.

The Airtraq® is cheap and extremely easy to use and we believe it should be included in the anaesthetist’s armamentarium for the difficult airway.

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