title: GlideScope® vs flexible fibreoptic scope for elective intubation in obese patients.
abstract: We hypothesised that in obese patients, tracheal intubation with the GlideScope® would be advantageous compared with flexible fibreoptic intubation. Seventy-five anaesthetised obese patients were randomly assigned to oral intubation by either GlideScope or flexible fibreoptic bronchoscope. We compared the two devices for time to intubate (p = 0.19), difficulty of intubation (p = 0.58), successful intubation on first attempt (p = 0.29), number of attempts (p = 0.24), incidence of hypoxaemia (p = 0.57), amount of post-intubation bleeding (p = 0.79) and sore throat (p = 0.82). None differed significantly. Median (IQR [range]) time to intubation was 37 (25-48 [19-81]) s and 95% of the first attempts were successful with the GlideScope, vs 43 (35-58 [26-96]) s and an 86% first-attempt success rate with the flexible fibreoptic bronchoscope. For experienced users, the time required to intubate the trachea in anaesthetised obese patients is similar with the GlideScope and a flexible bronchoscope.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Anesthesiology and Outcomes Researcht, Huron Hospital, Cleveland Clinic Health System, Cleveland, OH, USA. abdelmb@ccf.org
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Abdelmalak
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bernstein
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Egan
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abdallah
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: You
authors.forename: D I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Sessler
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Doyle
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D020680:Bronchoscopes / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology / Q000295:instrumentation; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D020704:Laryngoscopes / Q000009:adverse effects; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D010612:Pharyngitis / Q000209:etiology; D013997:Time Factors; D014741:Video Recording / Q000295:instrumentation; D055815:Young Adult