Small Simulators for Teaching Procedural Skills in a Difficult Airway Algorithm

Difficulty with intubation, ventilation or both is a significant issue for anaesthetists. The American Society of Anesthesiologists’ Guidelines for the Management of the Difficult Airway is an algorithm widely used when airway difficulties are encountered. Ideally, anaesthetic trainees should have access to simulators suitable for learning and practising how to manage airway difficulties, but most models have been designed primarily for resuscitation training. The aim of this study was to determine which small airway simulators could be used to practise steps in the Difficult Airway Algorithm (DAA). We identified the essential elements of the DAA relating to endotracheal intubation (laryngoscope, Trachlight and Fastrach), external laryngeal manipulation, dedicated airway devices (LMA, Combitube) and trans-tracheal ventilation using the Enk oxygen flow modulator (Cook). Each element was studied in adult airway models sold for airway management training. The DAA elements were studied in 16 different airway models. No single model achieved our criteria of “good/very realistic” for all elements. All elements of the DAA could be used in the Difficult Airway Trainer Deluxe (MPL) and Bill (VBM/Mallinckrodt) but it would be necessary to acquire at least two trainers to achieve “good/very realistic” in all techniques studied. Anaesthetic departments planning to acquire small simulators for airway management training should undertake a training-needs analysis and apply this to the performance characteristics of the simulators. Generally, at least two airway training models will be needed to teach all steps of the DAA effectively.