title: Clinical efficacy of the classic laryngeal mask airway in elderly patients: a comparison with young adult patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The elderly have been reported to show anatomical and physiologic changes in the upper airway, which might affect the supraglottic airway (SGA) performance in geriatric populations. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of the classic laryngeal mask airway (LMA-C) in the elderly compared with young adult patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients aged 65-85 years (elderly group) and 50 patients aged 20-40 years (young group) who were scheduled for surgery using the LMA-C for general anesthesia were enrolled in this prospective, non-randomized, comparative study. Manipulations required during insertion, success rate, insertion time, oropharyngeal leak pressure, gastric insufflation, and intraoperative inadequate ventilation with the LMA-C were assessed. Fiberoptic evaluation was used to determine the position of the LMA-C.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the elderly group, the insertion success rate on the first attempt was significantly lower than that in the young group (84 vs. 96%, P = 0.02). The insertion time in the elderly group was significantly longer than that in the young group (28.5 ± 19.6 vs. 22.2 ± 6.4 seconds, P = 0.001). However, there was no difference in oropharyngeal leak pressure or fiberoptic grade between the two groups after proper placement of the LMA-C. During the surgery, inadequate ventilation events occurred more frequently in the elderly group than in the young group (31.3 vs. 4.0%, P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical efficacy of the LMA-C in elderly patients was inferior to that in young adult patients. Therefore, further studies are required to determine the type of SGA that can provide excellent clinical efficacy in the geriatric population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Mi
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-0724-7607
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea. ; Anesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Soo
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea. ; Anesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Bon-Nyeo
authors.initials: BN
authors.lastname: Koo
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea. ; Anesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong-Rim
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Kangnam Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Sub
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Severance Hospital, Seoul, Korea. ; Anesthesia and Pain Research Institute, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jae Hoon
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6679-2782
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lee
keywords: Aged; Laryngeal masks; Treatment outcome