Macintosh and D-Blade® in Simulated Difficult Airway

Comparison of Direct and Indirect Laryngoscopy Using C-MAC PM® With Macintosh Blade and D-Blade® in Simulated Difficult Airway

In the presented study, our aim was to compare intubation conditions regarding the modified Cormack & Lehane score (CL) between the D-Blade® in indirect laryngoscopy or Macintosh blade in direct and indirect laryngoscopy with C-MAC PM® in a simulated setting of a difficult airway in human subjects.

Patients with unexpected difficult airway requiring endotracheal intubation (ETI) remain extremely challenging for emergency physicians and intubation failure with subsequent hypoxic complications still represents the majority of cases in a recent closed claims analysis.

An incidence of major complications in airway management of 1 in 5,500 was estimated in the Fourth National Audit Project in the UK.

Therefore, our aim was to compare intubation conditions regarding the modified Cormack & Lehane score (CL) between the D-Blade® in indirect laryngoscopy or Macintosh blade in direct and indirect laryngoscopy with C-MAC PM® in a simulated setting of a difficult airway in human subjects.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients requiring general anesthesia for orthopedic surgery

Exclusion Criteria:

• known or expected difficult airway
• undergoing urgent or emergent surgery
• non-fasted
• American Society of Anesthesiology Class (ASA) IV-VI
• no consent for participation