title: A novel method for SLIPA™ size selection, for adult patients, on the basis of chamber length.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Nowadays the size of the streamlined liner of the pharynx airway (SLIPA™) is selected by matching the width of the thyroid cartilage of the patient to the widest dimension of the SLIPA™. The objective of this work was to improve the method of selection by matching the distance between the otobasion inferius and the most inferior margin of the cricoid cartilage (O-C) to the length of the SLIPA™ chamber.
  
  
  METHODS
  100 patients (ASAI-II) scheduled to undergo operations under general anesthesia were randomly divided into two groups, group A (size selected by matching O-C with SLIPA™ chamber length, n = 50) and group B (size selected by matching the width of the thyroid cartilage with the widest dimension of the SLIPA™, n = 50). We measured the distance between the nasopharynx and the interarytenoid fold (N-I) and investigated the correlation between O-C and N-I at the neutral head position. Number of attempts, insertion time, blood on the device, leakage, and the need to change sizes were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A positive correlation (r = 0.68, p < 0.05) was detected between N-I and O-C. Leakage was observed in 6 % (n = 3) of group A patients and in 20 % (n = 10) of group B patients (p < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Compared with the classic size-selection method, matching the width of the thyroid cartilage with that of the SLIPA™, the size-selection method of matching SLIPA™ chamber length to O-C for adult patients is more accurate.
authors: Department of Anesthesiology, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, 610041, ChengDu, China. liyansong.inter@163.com
authors: Yansong
authors: Y
authors: Li
authors: Ying
authors: Y
authors: Xie
authors: Xinchuan
authors: X
authors: Wei
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D017214:Laryngeal Masks; D008297:Male; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013957:Thyroid Cartilage / Q000033:anatomy & histology*