CS#13 Success of Orotracheal Intubation with the Airtraq Optical Laryngoscope

Internet Journal of Airway Management Volume 5 (January 2008 to December 2009).
Zadrobilek E.

312 patients for elective thyroid surgical procedures with various conventional laryngoscopic views. Further 20 patients with difficult conventional laryngoscopy (CL) also for elective thyroid surgery attempted by using the AOL were additionally included in this clinical review.

In the 332 patients evaluated, grade 1 to 5 at CL was obtained in 111, 90, 61, 68, and 2 patients, respectively. The overall success rate of AOL-assisted tracheal intubation at the first attempt was 98 percent; in all patients, tracheal intubation was successful after a maximum of two attempts.

In the 70 patients with difficult CL (grade 4 or 5), the success rate of AOL-assisted tracheal intubation at the first attempt was 94 percent (66/70 patients). The causes of primary failures of tracheal intubation were failed identification of anatomical structures (in one patient) and failed tracheal tube (TT) advancement during laryngeal passage (in 3 patients). Visualization of the entire laryngeal aperture was finally obtained in all patients; downsized TTs for atraumatic tracheal intubation were required in 2 patients.

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