Pei-Chin Lin a, b, Jimmy Ong a, b, Chia-Ling Lee a, b, Tsung-Ying Chen a, b, Yi Lee a, b, Hsien-Yong Lai a, b, c
aDepartment of Anesthesiology, Buddhist Tzu Chi General Hospital, Hualien, Taiwan
bSchool of Medicine, College of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
cInstitute of Physiological and Anatomical Medicine, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
Abstract
Objective
The GlideScope Video Laryngoscope (GS) is an intubating device that provides equal or better glottic views than conventional laryngoscopes, but correct tube placement is more time-consuming, even when performed by experienced operators. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of the GS compared with the more conventional Macintosh laryngoscope in easy and difficult tracheal intubation when performed by inexperienced medical students on fresh human cadavers
Patients and Methods
Forty-one medical students were assigned to perform tracheal intubation using the direct Macintosh laryngoscope (DL) and the GS. Each student was given four attempts, with a maximum of 180 seconds for each attempt, to successfully intubate the trachea with a 6.5-mm tracheal tube in each of two scenarios, one with an easy airway and the other with a difficult airway cadaver.
Results
The total time of intubation for the easy airway cadaver was significantly longer in the GS group (61.4 ± 4.8 seconds vs. 40.6 ± 5.3 seconds; p < 0.001) despite the modified Cormack-Lehane scores showing no difference between the two groups. In the difficult airway cadaver, total time of intubation was significant shorter in the GS group (64.3 ± 6.5 seconds vs. 98.7 ± 10.2 seconds; p < 0.001)
Conclusion
Most inexperienced operators found the GS to be more time-consuming for tracheal intubation than DL in the easy airway cadaver. However, an obvious advantage was demonstrated when the GS was used for the difficult airway.
Keywords
Cadavers; GlideScope; Laryngoscopy; Tracheal intubation
