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GlideScope ® vs flexible fibreoptic scope for elective intubation in obese patients *
Author(s) -
Abdelmalak B. B.,
Bernstein E.,
Egan C.,
Abdallah R.,
You J.,
Sessler D. I.,
Doyle D. J.
Publication year - 2011
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.1365-2044.2011.06659.x
Subject(s) - medicine , intubation , sore throat , anesthesia , tracheal intubation , laryngoscopes , surgery
Summary We hypothesised that in obese patients, tracheal intubation with the GlideScope ® would be advantageous compared with flexible fibreoptic intubation. Seventy‐five anaesthetised obese patients were randomly assigned to oral intubation by either GlideScope or flexible fibreoptic bronchoscope. We compared the two devices for time to intubate (p = 0.19), difficulty of intubation (p = 0.58), successful intubation on first attempt (p = 0.29), number of attempts (p = 0.24), incidence of hypoxaemia (p = 0.57), amount of post‐intubation bleeding (p = 0.79) and sore throat (p = 0.82). None differed significantly. Median (IQR [range]) time to intubation was 37 (25–48 [19–81]) s and 95% of the first attempts were successful with the GlideScope, vs 43 (35–58 [26–96]) s and an 86% first‐attempt success rate with the flexible fibreoptic bronchoscope. For experienced users, the time required to intubate the trachea in anaesthetised obese patients is similar with the GlideScope and a flexible bronchoscope.