CS#21 The Airtraq laryngoscope in severe ankylosing spondylitis

Internet Journal of Airway Management Volume 5 (January 2008 to December 2009)
Missaghi SM, Austria 

Sixty four adult patients undergoing elective thyroid surgical procedures were investigated. Patients with a previously experienced difficult conventional tracheal intubation, anatomic features predictive for difficult CL and tracheal intubation, and/or obesity were given referential enrollment into the study. The operators (3 emergency medicine residents and one surgical resident) had less experiences with AM techniques on patients and were novice users of the Airtraq. Grades 1 to 4 at CL were obtained in 25, 16, 13, and 10 patients, respectively. The success rate of Airtraq assisted tracheal intubation at the first attempt was 100 percent (64/64 patients). Provided formal instruction (supported by the AWM) and supervision, the success of Airtraq assisted orotracheal intubation performed by nonanesthesia residents was not affected by CLV. For operators responsible for emergency AM with less experiences and opportunities in these techniques, the Airtraq may be uniquely useful for routine and difficult laryngoscopy and tracheal intubation

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