title: Digital palpation of the pilot balloon vs. continuous manometry for controlling the intracuff pressure in laryngeal mask airways.
abstract: This study compared two methods of controlling the intracuff pressure in laryngeal mask airways. One hundred and eighty patients were randomly assigned into two groups. In the first group (n = 90), after training, the intracuff pressure was controlled using digital palpation of the pilot balloon. In the second group (n = 90), continuous manometry was used to control the intracuff pressure. An upper pressure limit of 60 cmH2 O was set. The median (IQR [range]) intracuff pressure in the palpation group was 130 (125-130 [120-130]) cmH2 O compared with 29 (20-39 [5-60]) cmH2 O in the manometry group (p < 0.001). In the palpation group, 37% of patients experienced pharyngolaryngeal complications vs. 12% in the manometry group (p < 0.001). We conclude that the digital palpation technique is not a suitable alternative to manometry in controlling the intracuff pressure in laryngeal mask airways.
authors: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Park-Klinik-Weissensee, Berlin, Germany. hensel@park-klinik.com.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Hensel
authors: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Park-Klinik-Weissensee, Berlin, Germany.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Güldenpfennig
authors: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Park-Klinik-Weissensee, Berlin, Germany.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Schmidt
authors: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Park-Klinik-Weissensee, Berlin, Germany.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Krumm
authors: Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care Medicine, Emergency Medicine and Pain Therapy, Asklepios Klinikum Harburg, Hamburg, Germany.
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Kerner
authors: Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Unit, Campus Charité Mitte, Charité-University Hospital, Berlin, Germany.
authors: W J
authors: WJ
authors: Kox
mesh_terms: D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017214:Laryngeal Masks; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods*; D010173:Palpation / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011446:Prospective Studies
keywords: anaesthesia techniques; aspiration management: laryngeal mask airway; monitored anaesthesia care: requirements; pain terms