Anesth Analg 2005;101:1233-1237
© 2005 International Anesthesia Research Society
doi: 10.1213/01.ane.0000171716.20536.96
GENERAL ARTICLES
An Evaluation of McCoy Balloon Laryngoscopy in Patients With Moderate-to-Major Endotracheal Intubation Difficulty
Spyros D. Mentzelopoulos, MD, PhD, DEAA,
Maria Tzoufi, MD, DEAA,
Kostas Rellos, MD, PhD,
Argyris S. Michalopoulos, MD, FCCM, FCCP,
Elissavet Stamataki, MD, PhD, DEAA,
Charris Roussos, MD, PhD, and
Spyros G. Zakynthinos, MD, PhD
Departments of Intensive Care Medicine Henry Dunant General Hospital and Evaggelismos General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
We hypothesized that combined McCoy-balloon laryngoscopy may facilitate airway management relative to McCoy or balloon laryngoscopy. In 10 anesthetized/paralyzed patients with prior intubation difficulty scale scores of >5, McCoy-balloon laryngoscopy versus conventional/balloon/McCoy laryngoscopies resulted in greater laryngeal aperture exposure (2.3 ± 0.6 versus 0.6 ± 0.2/1.4 ± 0.4/1.5 ± 0.6 cm2, respectively), lower intubation difficulty scale score (0.00 (0.000.00) versus 6.00 (6.008.25)/1.50(0.004.00)/2.00(0.755.00), respectively, median [interquartile range]), and 9%74% shorter time to intubation confirmation (P < 0.050.001 for all). Balloon and McCoy laryngoscopies improved laryngoscopic/intubating conditions relative to conventional laryngoscopy. In patients with moderate-to-major conventional airway management difficulty, McCoy-balloon laryngoscopy further improves laryngoscopic/intubating conditions.
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