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A ventilation‐exchange bougie for fibreoptic intubations with the laryngeal mask airway
Author(s) -
ATHERTON D. P. L.,
O'SULLIVAN E.,
LOWE D.,
CHARTERS P.
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
anaesthesia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.839
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1365-2044
pISSN - 0003-2409
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2044.1996.tb15047.x
Subject(s) - medicine , intubation , larynx , tracheal tube , laryngoscopy , airway , anesthesia , airway management , laryngeal masks , tracheal intubation , laryngeal mask airway , ventilation (architecture) , surgery , mechanical engineering , engineering
Summary The ventilation‐exchange bougie is a new airway device which can be mounted on a fibreoptic laryngoscope for passage through the larynx into the trachea via a laryngeal mask airway. Subsequent removal of the fibreoptic laryngoscope and laryngeal mask airway allows a tracheal tube to be railroaded into position over the ventilation‐exchange bougie. This study described the use of this technique for elective tracheal intubation in two groups of 12 subjects in whom difficulty with intubation was not expected. All the subjects were successfully intubated by one of two anaesthetists, one experienced and the other inexperienced with fibreoptic intubation techniques. Neither had had prior experience with the ventilation‐exchange bougie. Because ventilation was maintained throughout the procedure, intubation did not need to be hurried. Cusum analysis confirmed the impression of a learning curve and the technique could be considered learnt after four and six intubations for the experienced and inexperienced fibreoptic larvngoscopists respectively. No difficulty was found either in intubating the larynx with the fibreoptic laryngoscope and ventilation‐exchange bougie or when railroading the tracheal tube over the ventilation‐exchange bougie. It is suggested that this new device could have an important role in teaching fibreoptic techniques, management of the difficult airway and failed intubations.