JOURNAL HOME CME HOME THIS MONTH PAST ISSUES ETOC COLLECTIONS AUTHORS REVIEWERS EDITORIAL BOARD FEEDBACK RSS HELP
		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in ISI Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via ISI Web of Science (2) Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Cheung, R. W. W. Articles by Chan, C. K. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Cheung, R. W. W. Articles by Chan, C. K.

---

GENERAL ARTICLES

A Clinical Comparison of the Flexiblade^TM and Macintosh Laryngoscopes for Laryngeal Exposure in Anesthetized Adults

Rochelle W. W. Cheung, MB, BS (Hong Kong), FANZCA, FHKCA, FHKAM^*, Michael G. Irwin, MB, ChB, MD, DA, FRCA, FHKAM, Bassanio C. W. Law, MB, BS (New South Wales), FANZCA, FHKCA, FHKAM, and C. K. Chan, MB, BS (Hong Kong), FHKCA, FHKAM

*Department of Anaesthesiology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital; Department of Anaesthesiology, University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital; and Department of Anaesthesiology, Kwong Wah Hospital; and the University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong (SAR), China

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. Rochelle W. W. Cheung, Department of Anaesthesia, 1/F, Block D, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, 30, Gascoigne Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong SAR, China; Professor M. G. Irwin, Room 424, Block K, Queen Mary Hospital, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, China. Address e-mail to rochelleww{at}yahoo.com.

The Flexiblade^TM is a laryngoscope with a flexible blade. To evaluate the efficacy of the Flexiblade^TM compared with the classic Macintosh laryngoscope, we performed a clinical study in 200 paralyzed patients undergoing elective surgery requiring general anesthesia and endotracheal intubation. Direct laryngoscopy was performed with a size 3 Macintosh laryngoscope and the Flexiblade^TM, with and without activation of the lever. The laryngeal views were recorded, without manipulation, according to the Cormack and Lehane classification. No laryngoscopic view obtained by the Macintosh blade was worse than that obtained by the Flexiblade^TM without the lever activated. The Macintosh blade improved 58.5% of non-Grade I views obtained by the Flexiblade^TM with its lever not activated. However, when the Flexiblade^TM lever was activated, 39.6% of non-Grade I views obtained by the Macintosh blade were improved, whereas 84.5% of non-Grade I views obtained by the inactivated Flexiblade^TM were improved. Activating the Flexiblade^TM lever never caused a deterioration of view. In only one case was the view better with the Macintosh blade than that with the activated Flexiblade^TM. We conclude that the Flexiblade^TM, after lever activation, is significantly better than the Macintosh laryngoscope for laryngeal visualization in paralyzed adults (P < 0.0001).

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Irwin and R. Cheung Laryngeal Exposure Using the FlexibladeTM Laryngoscope Anesth. Analg., November 1, 2006; 103(5): 1331 - 1331. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. El-Orbany Laryngeal Exposure Using the FlexibladeTM Laryngoscope Anesth. Analg., November 1, 2006; 103(5): 1330 - 1331. [Full Text] [PDF]

				Does a Flexible Blade Improve Direct Laryngoscopy? Journal Watch Emergency Medicine, March 14, 2006; 2006(314): 5 - 5. [Full Text]

Anesthesia & Analgesia® is published for the International Anesthesia Research Society® by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins with the assistance of Stanford University Libraries' HighWire Press®. Copyright 2006 by the International Anesthesia Research Society. Online ISSN: 1526-7598   Print ISSN: 0003-2999