title: A randomised comparison of the single use LMA Flexible with the reusable LMA Flexible in paediatric dental day-case patients.
abstract: In this study we compared the performance of the single use flexible laryngeal mask airway (LMA Flexible) with the original reusable LMA Flexible in paediatric dento-alveolar day-case surgery. The aim of the study was to determine whether these two supraglottic airway devices were clinically equivalent when used for simple dental extractions in children under general anaesthesia. This randomised comparative trial in 100 healthy children used first attempt airway insertion success as its primary outcome measure. Secondary outcomes included the adequacy of ventilation, incidence of airway obstruction and the requirement for device manipulation and the incidence of adverse airway outcomes during recovery from anaesthesia. No difference was found between the devices in first attempt insertion success rate (94% with reusable LMA Flexible and 90% with single use LMA Flexible, p = 0.358), and ease of insertion was also similar (p = 0.5). Both devices performed equally well during surgery, with no significant differences in episodes of intra-operative airway compromise (p = 0.387), and both the single use and reusable LMA Flexible displayed excellent recovery characteristics, with no occurrences of emergence airway obstruction. No blood was discovered within the inner LMA tube shaft in either device, implying that both protected against tracheobronchial soiling. We conclude therefore that the single use LMA Flexible is an acceptable alternative to the reusable LMA Flexible.
authors.affiliation: University College Hospital, London NW1 2BU, UK. paul.flynn@nhs.net
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Flynn
authors.forename: F B
authors.initials: FB
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Clarke
mesh_terms: D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D000762:Anesthesia Recovery Period; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003428:Cross Infection / Q000517:prevention & control; D019140:Dental Care for Children / Q000295:instrumentation; D004209:Disposable Equipment; D017743:Equipment Reuse; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017214:Laryngeal Masks; D008297:Male; D014081:Tooth Extraction