title: The effect of laryngoscope handle size on possible endotracheal intubation success in university football, ice hockey, and soccer players.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effectiveness of a standard long-handle laryngoscope and a short-handle laryngoscope on ease of possible intubation in football, ice hockey, and soccer players.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective crossover study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University Sport Medicine Clinic.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-two university varsity football (62 males), 45 ice hockey (26 males and 19 females), and 39 soccer players (20 males, 19 females).
  
  
  METHODS
  Athletes were assessed for different airway and physical characteristics. Three different physicians then assessed the use of laryngoscopes of different handle sizes in supine athletes who were wearing protective equipment while in-line cervical spine immobilization was maintained.
  
  
  METHODS
  The ease of passage of a laryngoscope blade into the posterior oropharynx of a supine athlete was assessed using both a standard long-handle and a short-handle laryngoscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Use of a short-handle laryngoscope was easier for all physicians in all sports as compared with a standard-sized laryngoscope. Passage of a laryngoscope blade into the posterior oropharynx of a supine athlete was easiest in soccer players and most difficult in football and ice hockey players for both sizes of laryngoscope. Interference from chest or shoulder pads was a common cause for difficulty in passing the laryngoscope blade into the posterior oropharynx for football and ice hockey players.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the rare instances that an endotracheal intubation is to be attempted on an unconscious athlete, a short-handle laryngoscope may provide the best chance for successful intubation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. j.delaney@mcgill.ca
authors.forename: J Scott
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Delaney
authors.forename: Ammar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Kashmiri
authors.forename: Penny-Jane
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Baylis
authors.forename: Mahmood
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aljufaili
authors.forename: José A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Correa
mesh_terms: D056352:Athletes; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D005260:Female; D005538:Football; D006260:Head Protective Devices; D006688:Hockey; D006801:Humans; D007103:Immobilization; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D020704:Laryngoscopes; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011482:Protective Devices; D012916:Soccer; D019876:Sports Equipment; D014473:Unconscious, Psychology