title: Comparison of blind tracheal intubation through the intubating laryngeal mask airway (LMA Fastrach™) and the Air-Q™.
abstract: This study assessed two disposable devices, the LMA Fastrach™ and the newly developed supraglottic airway device, the Air-Q™, as a conduit for tracheal intubation in 154 healthy adults undergoing elective surgery. Using a non-inferiority approach, the primary outcome measure was successful tracheal intubation within two blind insertion attempts. Successful blind intubation after two attempts was achieved in 75/76 (99%) of the patients in the LMA Fastrach group vs 60/78 (77%) in the Air-Q group (95% CI for the difference 12-32%, p<0.0001). Fibreoptic intubation was used to assist the third attempt. The rate of successful intubation after three attempts was 100% in the LMA Fastrach group and 95% in Air-Q group. The single-use LMA Fastrach appears superior compared with the Air-Q, as a conduit to facilitate blind tracheal intubation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia, The University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, Iowa City, IA, USA. yasser-karim@uiowa.edu
authors.forename: Y M
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Karim
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Swanson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D004209:Disposable Equipment; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000295:instrumentation; D017214:Laryngeal Masks; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome