title: Flexible, tapered-tip tube facilitates conventional orotracheal intubation by novice intubators.
abstract: Orotracheal intubation is the standard technique for airway management, but several untoward airway complications are possible with this method. To avoid airway trauma caused by the tube tip during intubation, the Parker Flex-Tip tube (PFT), which has a flexible, tapered tip, was developed. It has been reported that the PFT facilitates fiberoptic orotracheal intubation and introducer-guided tracheal intubation. In this study, we compared the PFT to a standard endotracheal tube (SET), regarding the time of intubation during conventional orotracheal intubation and the incidence of postoperative sore throat and hoarseness. One hundred and thirty-four patients scheduled for elective anesthesia using orotracheal intubation were randomized to either the PFT or SET and 132 completed the study. The intubators were classified into three groups: staff anesthesiologists, inexperienced anesthesiologists, and anesthesia trainees. The tube was selected by another anesthesiologist and the time required for intubation was measured. PFT did not shorten the time required for intubation and did not reduce the incidence of sore throat and hoarseness. However, a detailed analysis revealed that the PFT decreased the time required for intubation in the anesthesia trainee group. The PFT may help novice intubators to conduct a smooth intubation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care Medicine, Okazaki City Hospital, 3-1 Goshoai, Okazaki 444-8553, Japan.
authors.forename: MinHye
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: So
authors.forename: Kazuya
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sobue
authors.forename: Hajime
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arima
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Morishima
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fukumoto
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Nakano
authors.forename: Takako
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuda
authors.forename: Hirotada
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Katsuya
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D002983:Clinical Competence; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged