Airtraq Versus Conventional Laryngoscopy in Children

Randomised Controlled Trial of the Airtraq Optical Laryngoscope and Conventional Laryngoscopy in Children

The investigators aim to compare the new paediatric Airtraq indirect optical laryngoscope with conventional direct laryngoscopy for tracheal intubation in a randomised crossover study during routine anaesthesia. The investigators hypothesise that the Airtraq is as good as conventional laryngoscopy for tracheal intubation of infants and children. This will be an equivalence rather than a non-inferiority study.

Inclusion Criteria:

• All children less than 6 years of age, in whom a size 2.5 - 5.5 tracheal tube would be considered suitable.
• Classified by the American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) as grade 1-3.
• Scheduled for surgery under general anaesthesia, and in whom tracheal intubation and neuromuscular blocking drugs are planned to be used.

Exclusion Criteria:

• inability of patient or parents to understand the study or consent process
• known or suspected difficult airway
• ASA 4 and above