Comparison of P ro S eal LMA with S upreme LMA in paediatric patients

Background and Objective S upreme laryngeal mask airway ( S ‐ LMA ) has been improved in recent years, but comparative studies with a sizeable number of paediatric patients are limited in number. In this study, oropharyngeal leak pressures ( OLPs ) were compared between S ‐ LMA and P ro S eal laryngeal mask airway ( P ‐ LMA ) in paediatric patients. Methods After obtaining approval from the ethics committee and written informed consent from the relatives of the patients, 60 patients, from 9 months to 5 years of age and 10–20 kg in weight, who were recommended for elective surgery were included in this prospective and randomised study. The patients were assigned to the S ‐ LMA and P ‐ LMA groups. OLP , insertion times, success rates, ease of airway device placement, fibre optical assessment, success rates and insertion times of an orogastric tube ( OGT ) were compared. Results P ‐ LMA was placed successfully in all the patients. One patient was intubated in the S ‐ LMA group. The outcomes of a total of 59 patients were analysed. The insertion times of the airway devices were shorter in the S ‐ LMA group than in the P ‐ LMA group ( S ‐ LMA ; 12.2 ± 2.9, P ‐ LMA ; 15.4 ± 3.7 s) ( P  = 0.001). The first insertion attempts of airway device placement were similar. The OLPs were similar ( P ‐ LMA ; 17.2 ± 2.3, S ‐ LMA ; 16.4 ± 1.7 cm H 2 O ). The fibre‐optically determined anatomic position was better in the P ‐ LMA group ( P  = 0.02). The insertion time of the OGT was shorter with S ‐ LMA than with P ‐ LMA ( P  = 0.01). Conclusion Our findings suggest that S ‐ LMA has OLPs similar to those of P ‐ LMA in paediatric patients and that S ‐ LMA provides successful positive pressure ventilation.