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Flexibility and light emission of disposable paediatric Miller 1 laryngoscope blades *
Author(s) -
Goodwin N.,
Wilkes A. R.,
Hall J. E.
Publication year - 2006
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.1365-2044.2006.04721.x
Subject(s) - rigidity (electromagnetism) , medicine , flexibility (engineering) , blade (archaeology) , optics , orthodontics , composite material , structural engineering , materials science , physics , mathematics , statistics , engineering
Summary With the emergence of Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease and the discovery of prions in tonsillar material, there has been an increase in the number of available disposable laryngoscope blades. This has led to non‐conformity over many aspects of blade design. Miller 1 disposable blades have been produced in both metal and plastic and appear to have different properties of rigidity. We examined the rigidity of 11 disposable Miller 1 blades in three different axes of force. There was a significant difference in flexibility between metal and plastic blades in both primary and torsional axis (p = 0.006). We also studied the blades' light intensity and angle of light emission, finding up to an eightfold difference in the level of illumination provided at a distance of 10 mm from the tips of the blades. The area of maximal illumination varied, with some blades providing narrow beams of light, and others provided a more dispersed field of illumination. In addition, the angle of maximal illumination varied between the blade types from a central position to one directed to the right‐hand side.