Comparison of GlideScope-Specific Rigid Stylet to Standard Malleable Stylet for GlideScope Intubation by Novice Operators

Comparison of GlideScope-Specific Rigid Stylet to Standard Malleable Stylet for GlideScope Intubation by Novice Operators

Patients presenting for elective surgery requiring tracheal intubation will be randomized to one of two different endotracheal tube (ETT) stylets. The intubation will be done with a GlideScope videolaryngoscope by a novice operator. The primary outcome is time to intubation.

Inclusion Criteria:

• any adult patient scheduled for elective surgery.
• ETT is indicated for the procedure in the opinion of the attending anesthesiologist.
• any operator who has performed ≤ 10 GlideScope intubations.

Exclusion Criteria:

• any patient in whom the use of the GlideScope is contraindicated in the opinion of the attending anesthesiologist.
• Patient with known cervical spine abnormalities.
• any patients with known or probable difficult airways. (This rare occurrence is unlikely to be evenly distributed between the groups and could skew the data).
• any patient requiring rapid sequence induction.