Premium
Transillumination‐assisted orotracheal intubation: a comparison of the B onfils fibrescope and the lightwand ( T rachlight)
Author(s) -
SUI J.H.,
MAO P.,
LIU J.H.,
TONG S.Y.,
WEI L.X.,
YANG D.,
DENG X.M.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
acta anaesthesiologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1399-6576
pISSN - 0001-5172
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-6576.2011.02627.x
Subject(s) - orotracheal intubation , medicine , transillumination , sore throat , intubation , tracheal intubation , anesthesia , stylet , surgery , pathology
Background Because the B onfils fibrescope has a semi‐rigid optical stylet and is similar in shape to a lightwand, we aimed to evaluate and compare the efficacy of transillumination‐assisted orotracheal intubation with the B onfils fibrescope and the T rachlight TM lightwand in patients with normal airways. Methods As a preliminary investigation to form a basis for later studies, therefore, we performed a randomized, single‐blind study of 300 patients with normal airways to compare the efficiency of T rachlight and transillumination‐assisted B onfils orotracheal intubation in these patients. In both groups, orotracheal intubation was performed using a transillumination technique. The first attempt and overall success rates of tracheal intubation, the times required, and any untoward effects were recorded. Results Although the overall success rates were similar for B onfils and T rachlight intubations (97.3% and 98.7%, respectively), tracheal intubation was successful on the first attempt in 87.3% of patients with the B onfils fibrescope compared with 95.3% of patients with the T rachlight ( P < 0.05). The mean intubation time for the first attempt was 15 ± 5 s with the B onfils fibrescope and 9 ± 2 s with the T rachlight ( P < 0.001). Patients intubated using the B onfils fibrescope also experienced significantly more sore throat and hoarseness than those intubated using the T rachlight. Conclusions For patients with normal airways, the T rachlight is superior for orotracheal intubation with respect to reliability, rapidity, and safety compared with the B onfils fibrescope used with the transillumination technique.