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A paramedic study comparing the use of the Airtraq ® , Airway Scope and Macintosh laryngoscopes in simulated prehospital airway scenarios *
Author(s) -
Lewis A. R.,
Hodzovic I.,
Whelan J.,
Wilkes A. R.,
Bowler I.,
Whitfield R.
Publication year - 2010
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.1365-2044.2010.06514.x
Subject(s) - laryngoscopes , medicine , airway , scope (computer science) , anesthesia , airway management , intubation , tracheal intubation , computer science , programming language
Summary In a randomised, cross‐over study, we compared the use of the Airtraq ® , Airway Scope and Macintosh laryngoscopes by paramedics for tracheal intubation in three simulated prehospital scenarios. Fifty‐four paramedics were invited to take part. When evaluated in a difficult airway manikin, median IQR [range] time to intubation with the Airtraq (21 (16–37 [6–80] s) and Airway Scope (16 (5–75 [12–23] s) was shorter than that with the Macintosh laryngoscope (39 (25–54 [7–120] s; p < 0.0001). The success rate within 30 s was greater with the Airtraq (61%) and Airway Scope (93%) than with the Macintosh laryngoscope (22%; p < 0.0001). When used for a standard intubation and in the sitting position, we found minimal differences among the three laryngoscopes. We conclude that the Airway Scope and Airtraq have significant advantages over the Macintosh laryngoscope and that of the two, the Airway Scope is the more effective device to use in the prehospital environment.