University of Toronto describes research in laryngoscopy

Current study results from the report, 'Heart rate/blood pressure response and airway morbidity following tracheal intubation with direct laryngoscopy, GlideScope and Trachlight: a randomized control trial,' have been published. According to a study from Toronto, Canada, "Haemodynamic response to

"We hypothesized that intubations performed with GlideScope or Trachlight would generate a lesser haemodynamic response than the conventional method of direct laryngoscopy. The objective of this study wasto compare the haemodynamic response following tracheal intubation, using three different techniques of intubation. We also examined postoperative airway morbidities as our secondary outcome. This was a prospective randomized control trial, conducted at Mount Sinai Hospital of Toronto. After Ethics Board approval, 60 adult ASA status I and IIpatients, scheduled for elective surgery requiring general anaesthesia with orotracheal intubation, were randomly allocated into three groups. Intubation was performed by a single experienced anaesthesiologist, using direct laryngoscopy, GlideScope or Trachlight. The haemodynamic variables were measured noninvasively at specific time intervals. We also recorded the number of attempts and total time for intubation. Postoperative airway symptoms following surgery were assessed using a questionnaire. There was no significant difference in blood pressure and heart rate between the groups. Direct laryngoscopy intubation times were significantly lower than those of the other techniques (both p<0.0001). The occurrence of sore-throat symptoms in recovery was significantly higher in the Trachlight group (p=0.0033). There wasno benefit of using any of the three intubation techniques for attenuation of haemodynamic changes," wrote N. Siddiqui and colleagues, University of Toronto (see also Laryngoscopy).

The researchers concluded: "There was a higher incidence of airwaysymptoms associated with Trachlight intubation."

Siddiqui and colleagues published their study in European Journal of Anaesthesiology (Heart rate/blood pressure response and airway morbidity following tracheal intubation with direct laryngoscopy, GlideScope and Trachlight: a randomized control trial. European Journal of Anaesthesiology, 2009;26(9):740-5).

For more information, contact N. Siddiqui, University of Toronto, Dept. of Anesthesia and Pain Management, Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Publisher contact information for the European Journal of Anaesthesiology is: Cambridge University Press, 32 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013-2473.

Keywords: Canada, Toronto, Anesthesia, Blood Pressure, Critical Care Medicine, Laryngoscopy, Medical Device, Pain Medicine, Surgery.

This article was prepared by Blood Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Blood Weekly via NewsRx.com.