title: Airway management by physicians wearing anti-chemical warfare gear: comparison between laryngeal mask airway and endotracheal intubation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the ease with which successful insertion of a laryngeal mask airway can be performed in comparison with endotracheal intubation by medical personnel wearing chemical protective equipment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anaesthetists and non-anaesthetists (each n = 20) participated in the prospective comparative trial in an animal laboratory. The time and success rates of laryngeal mask airway vs. endotracheal tube insertions were measured as performed on anaesthetized monkeys.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results showed that the laryngeal mask airway was inserted more rapidly than the endotracheal tube by both groups (3.6 s and 28.6 s, P < 0.0001). Failed intubation occurred in 35% (anaesthetists) vs. 55% (non-anaesthetists) (P = 0.17).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In view of the 100% success rate of insertion even in unfavourable conditions, the possible role of the laryngeal mask airway in the scenario of a toxic mass casualty event should be considered.
authors.affiliation: Lady Davis Carmel Medical Center, Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, and The Rappaport School of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel. goldikzeev@clalit.org.il
authors.forename: Zeev
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Goldik
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bornstein
authors.forename: Arieh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Eden
authors.forename: Ron
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ben-Abraham
mesh_terms: D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation; D000818:Animals; D002618:Chemical Warfare; D004190:Disasters; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D017214:Laryngeal Masks; D008252:Macaca fascicularis; D011481:Protective Clothing