title: Evaluation of air-Q™ intubating laryngeal airway as a conduit for tracheal intubation in infants--a pilot study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Air-Q™ intubating laryngeal airway (ILA) has been used successfully as a conduit for tracheal intubation in pediatric difficult airway. However, its use as an airway device and conduit for intubation in infants is not yet evaluated.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The primary objective was to evaluate ILA as a conduit for tracheal intubation in infants, and secondary objectives were to evaluate ILA in terms of ease of insertion and ventilation, oropharyngeal leak pressure (OLP), glottic view, and complications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty infants with normal airway were included. After induction of general anesthesia and neuromuscular blockade, ILA (size 1.0/1.5) was inserted. Fiberoptic bronchoscope (FOB)-guided intubation and removal of ILA with the stabilizing stylet was attempted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age and weight of the infants were 7.5 ± 2.3 months and 7.3 ± 1.8 kg. The ILA sizes 1.0 and 1.5 were inserted in 10 infants each according to the weight of the infants. The mean OLP was 18.5 ± 1.8 cm H₂O, and mean time for insertion of ILA was 13.3 ± 3.9 s. Glottic view was grade I in 6, grade II in 1, grade III in 4, and grade IV in nine infants. Tracheal intubation was successful in 19/20 infants. The mean endotracheal tube (ETT) insertion time and mean total time (ILA insertion to the confirmation of ETT placement) were 95.6 ± 32.3 s and 306.42 ± 120.2 s respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The ILA is a safe and easy-to-use supraglottic airway device for intubation with FOB in infants with normal airway. Insertion and removal of ILA are easy with satisfactory oropharyngeal seal and ventilation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Rajendra Prasad Institute of Ophthalmic Sciences, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India. renuagarwal4@rediffmail.com
authors.forename: Renu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sinha
authors.lastname: Chandralekha
authors.forename: Bikash Ranjan
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Ray
mesh_terms: D060666:Airway Extubation; D058109:Airway Management; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D001999:Bronchoscopy; D005260:Female; D005336:Fiber Optic Technology; D005931:Glottis / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D007530:Isoflurane; D017214:Laryngeal Masks / Q000009:adverse effects; D007828:Laryngoscopy; D008297:Male; D016343:Monitoring, Intraoperative; D009609:Nitrous Oxide; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000033:anatomy & histology
chemical_list: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D007530:Isoflurane; D009609:Nitrous Oxide