Airtraq is more simple to use for DAI than DL and other VL

Performance of the glottiscopes: a randomized comparative study on difficult intubation simulation manikin.

Ann Fr Anesth Reanim. Sudrial et Al.

Prospectively compared simulated-difficult tracheal intubation characteristics of four glottiscopes: Airtraq, GlideScope, McGrath, LMA CTrach with that of the conventional Macintosh laryngoscope.

Forty-two physicians, naïve to glottiscope More than 1600 supervised tracheal intubations were performed

Compared to the Macintosh laryngoscope, GlideScope, McGrath, tracheal intubation duration was shorter (p<0.05) with the Airtraq and longer (p<0.01) with the LMA CTrach.

Airtraq and Macintosh laryngoscope were respectively the simplest (p<0.01) and the most difficult (p<0.01) airway devices to manage a simulated difficult tracheal intubation.

Airtraq and the LMA CTrach both demonstrated remarkable advantage over GlideScope and McGrath for simulated difficult intubation management.

Comparison of the Glidescope, the McGrath, the Airtraq and the Macintosh laryngoscopes in simulated difficult airways

Anaesthesia, Savoldelli et Al. University of Geneva

Sixty anaesthesia providers (20 staff, 20 residents, and 20 nurses) were enrolled into this study. The volunteers intubated the trachea of a Laerdal SimMan manikin in three simulated difficult airway scenarios.

In all scenarios, indirect laryngoscopes provided better laryngeal exposure than the Macintosh blade and appeared to produce less dental trauma.

In the most difficult scenario (tongue oedema), the Macintosh blade was associated with a high rate of failure and prolonged intubation times whereas indirect laryngoscopes improved intubation time and rarely failed. Indirect laryngoscopes were judged easier to use than the Macintosh.

The Airtraq consistently provided the most rapid intubation. Laryngeal grade views were superior with the Airtraq and McGrath than with the Glidescope.