Dental injury after conventional direct laryngoscopy: a prospective observational study

Clinical Issues - July 2024

Cleaning surgical instruments after use in a procedure involving chemotherapeutic medications Key words: deactivation, decontamination, cleaning, disinfection, chemotherapeutic medication. Paper count sheets sterilized inside instrument sets Key words: count sheets, instrument sets, printer ink, toner, toxicity. Off-label use of dental devices during direct laryngoscopy Key words: mouth guard, dental injury, direct laryngoscopy, anesthesia, intubation. Using intermittent pneumatic compression devices on patients in lithotomy position Key words: mechanical compression devices, compartment syndrome, lithotomy, venous thromboembolism, thromboprophylaxis.

Medico-legal liability of injuries arising from laryngoscopy

OBJECTIVE

Dental and mucosal injuries from laryngoscopy in the peri-operative period are common medico-legal complaints. This study investigated lawsuits arising from laryngoscopy.

METHODS

Westlaw, a legal database containing trial records from across the USA, was retrospectively reviewed. Plaintiff and/or defendant characteristics, claimed injuries, legal outcomes and awards were extracted.

RESULTS

Of all laryngoscopy-related dental or mucosal injuries brought before a state or federal court, none (0 per cent) resulted in a defence verdict against the provider or monetary gain for the patient. Rulings in the patient's favour were observed only when laryngoscopy was found to be the proximate cause of multiple compounding complications that culminated in severe medical outcomes such as exsanguination, septic shock or cardiopulmonary arrest.

CONCLUSION

Proper laryngoscopy technique and a robust informed-consent process that accurately sets patients' expectations reduces litigation risk. Future litigation pursuits should consider the low likelihood of malpractice allegation success at trial.

Teeth Damage during General Anesthesia

INTRODUCTION

Dental injuries during anesthesia, especially when advanced airway management is required, represent a legal problem. Factors such as poor dental condition and excessive pressure during intubation contribute to dental damage. The maxillary central incisors are commonly affected.

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this review is to know the incidence of dental injuries in adults undergoing anesthesia that requires airway management.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The search was performed in MEDLINE (through Pubmed), ClinicalTrials.gov, Scopus, LILACS (through the Virtual Health Library Regional Portal), and SciELO for all available literature on the subject up to December 2022. Inclusion criteria involved articles that studied patients aged 18 years or older who underwent general anesthesia requiring airway management with tracheal intubation or insertion of a laryngeal mask airway.

RESULTS

Of all the articles, nine report dental injury associated with the type of airway management. Only one article does not have dental injury.

DISCUSSION

This study addresses dental injuries related to tracheal intubation during general anesthesia. Although techniques are used to prevent them, these injuries still occur. Laryngoscopy, especially with support on the upper central incisors, can cause damage to the teeth.

CONCLUSIONS

It is important that the anesthesiologist is aware of dental trauma and that orotracheal intubation or the placement of the laryngeal mask airway is performed systematically and rigorously, always considering the patient's dentition to choose the best approach in each specific situation.

Anti-Toothbreaker: A Novel Low-Budget Device Enabling Contactless Dental Protection and a Forbidden Technique during Direct Laryngoscopy for Endotracheal Intubation

BACKGROUND

Iatrogenic dental injury is the most common complication of conventional laryngoscopy during orotracheal intubation. The main cause is unintended pressure and leverage forces from the hard metal blade of the laryngoscope. The aim of this pilot study was to introduce and test a novel, reusable low-budget device not only providing contactless dental protection during direct laryngoscopy for endotracheal intubation, but also enabling, in contrast to established tooth protectors, active levering with conventional laryngoscopes for easier visualization of the glottis.

METHODS

A constructed prototype for intrahospital usage was evaluated by seven participants on a simulation manikin for airway management. Endotracheal intubation was performed with and without the device using a conventional Macintosh laryngoscope (blade size 4) and a 7.5 mm endotracheal tube (Teleflex Medical GmbH, Fellbach, Germany). Necessary time and success of first pass were determined. Degree of visualization of the glottis with and without the device was stated by the participants according to the Cormack and Lehane (CL) classification system and the Percentage of Glottic Opening (POGO) scoring system. In addition, subjective physical effort, feeling of safety regarding successful intubation, and risk for dental injury were queried on a numeric scale between 1 and 10.

RESULTS

All participants except one stated that the intubation procedure was easier with usage of the device than without it. On average, this was subjectively perceived as being approximately 42% (range, 15-65%) easier. In addition, time to first pass success, as well as degree of glottis visualization, subjective physical effort, and feeling of safety regarding risk for dental injury, were clearly better with usage of the device. Concerning feeling of safety regarding successful intubation, there was only a minor advantage. No difference in first pass success rate and number of total attempts could be observed.

CONCLUSION

The Anti-Toothbreaker is a novel, reusable low-budget device which might not only provide contactless dental protection during direct laryngoscopy for endotracheal intubation, but also enables, in contrast to established tooth protectors, active levering with conventional laryngoscopes for easier visualization of the glottis. Future human cadaveric studies are needed to investigate whether these advantages also prove themselves there.

Intraoperative Dental Injury in a Neurosurgical Patient: Concerns for the Anesthesiologist

Anesthesia-related oropharyngeal injuries are known to occur. Risk factors for intraoperative dental injuries include difficult intubation, use of transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) probe, motor-evoked potential (MEP) monitoring, poor dental hygiene, etc. Our patient was a case of a thalamic cavernoma who underwent craniotomy in a sitting position with the neck flexed along with MEP and TEE monitoring. At the end of the surgery, the lower three incisors were found to be subluxated. The subluxated teeth were stabilized using a 2-0 Ethilon suture in the operation room. Immediate dental consultation was sought postoperatively. Sitting position surgeries with associated neck flexion, simultaneous, advanced monitoring techniques like TEE and MEP, poor dental condition, and the use of hard bite blocks can predispose patients to dental injury. Preoperative dental evaluation and explanation of neuromonitoring-associated injuries can be beneficial.

Comparison of Dental Injury Rates in Perioperative Intubation and Suspension Laryngoscopy for Otolaryngology Procedures

Objective

Direct laryngoscopy is an essential skill during perioperative intubation and otolaryngology procedures. Dental injury is a common complication of direct laryngoscopy. However, the technique and tools used by anesthesiologists, nurse anesthetists, and others during perioperative intubation and by ear, nose, and throat surgeons for their procedures are different. The purpose of this review is to explore the literature for all studies detailing rates of dental injury in each of these settings and to compare them to see if the approaches have a significant difference in rate of dental injury.

Data Sources

PubMed.

Review Methods

A comprehensive search of PubMed was performed through February 2021 with search terms “dental” and “intubation” or “laryngoscopy.” PRISMA guidelines were followed. Studies documenting rates of dental injuries during intubation or during laryngologic procedures were included, and the 2 groups were compared.

Results

Twenty-three studies met inclusion criteria: 17 in the perioperative intubation group and 6 in the suspension laryngoscopy group. There was an increased incidence of dental injury in the perioperative intubation group (4.86%) as compared with the suspension laryngoscopy group (1.70%).

Conclusions

The difference in dental injury rate between the groups could be due to the differences in direct laryngoscopy technique or tools used, the presence vs absence of a dental guard, or a combination of these factors. More studies need to be performed to develop definitive and specific conclusions to recommend changes that prevent dental injury.

An analysis of anesthetists' awareness, knowledge, and attitudes toward peri-anesthetic dental trauma

BACKGROUND/AIM

Peri-anesthetic dental trauma is a common anesthesia-related complication. It is the reason for a significant number of malpractice lawsuits against anesthetists through insurance companies. The frequency, outcomes, and risk factors related to peri-anesthetic dental trauma have been well documented. The aim of this study was to evaluate anesthetists' awareness, knowledge, and attitudes toward peri-anesthetic dental trauma.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This nationwide, cross-sectional, descriptive study comprising 220 anesthetists was conducted in Turkey between June 2019 and May 2020. A specific questionnaire was created using Google Forms and delivered to 591 participants via WhatsApp. Pearson's Chi-squared test and the Fisher-Freeman-Halton tests were used to analyze the results.

RESULTS

The overall response rate was 37.2% (220 out of 591 participants). Of the 80.5% of the participants who encountered peri-anesthetic dental trauma during their practice, 32.8% had encountered avulsion and 32.8% reported that they had caused soft tissue injuries. More than one-third of the participants (38.9%) stated that the patient group that was the most at-risk for peri-anesthetic dental trauma was older people with missing teeth. Half of the participants (50.9%) stated that avulsed teeth could be replanted; among them, 21.8% and 11.8% specified that the ideal replantation time was <30 min and that the ideal storage medium for the avulsed tooth was fresh milk, respectively. Furthermore, 88.1% of the participants noted that peri-anesthetic dental trauma occurred more frequently during emergency intubations and only 20.9% were aware of custom-made mouthguards.

CONCLUSIONS

Anesthetists lack knowledge around peri-anesthetic dental trauma and its interventions.

Evaluation of lightwand-guided endotracheal intubation for patients with missing or no teeth: a randomized controlled study

Background

Unhealthy teeth can seriously affect general health and increase the risk of death in elderly people. There has been no confirmation of which device is most effective for elderly patients with teeth loss. Therefore, we compared four intubation devices in elderly patients with partial and total tooth loss aiming to reduce risk during anesthesia.

Methods

Two hundred patients were randomized to undergo tracheal intubation with the Macintosh laryngoscope, the Glidescope, the Fiberoptic bronchoscope or the Lightwand as part of general anesthesia. A unified protocol of anesthetic medications was used. HR and BP were measured at T₀, T₁, T₂, T₃, T₄ and T₅. Catecholamine (epinephrine and norepinephrine) blood samples were drawn at T₀, T₁ and T₂. Intubation time and postoperative complications, including dental damage and losses, were recorded.

Results

Reduced fluctuations in HR, DBP, and SBP were observed in the Lightwand group. Intubation time was significantly shorter in the Lightwand group (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the groups in epinephrine levels, but norepinephrine levels were less volatile in the Fiberoptic bronchoscope and Lightwand groups. Fewer patients in the Lightwand group experienced dental damage and other postoperative complications than in the other three groups. Although a higher success rate on the first attempt was as high as in the Fiberoptic bronchoscope group, shorter intubation time was observed only in the Lightwand group.

Conclusion

The Lightwand offers less hemodynamic stimulation than the Macintosh laryngoscope, Glidescope, and Fiberoptic bronchoscope. Because it had the shortest intubation time, the Lightwand caused the least damage to the teeth and throat of elderly patients. Our findings showed that tracheal intubation with the Lightwand was advantageous for preventing cardiovascular stress responses with short intubation times and fewer postoperative complications.

Tooth avulsion accidents due to urgent and emergency orotracheal intubation

Background

Intubation is necessary during critical situations to reduce the risk of death. In Brazil, a need exists to determine the prevalence of tooth avulsions in emergency and urgent care. The objective of this study was to identify the causes of orotracheal intubation (OTI), the number of tooth avulsions, and the avulsed teeth that result from urgent and emergency intubation.

Material and Methods

The sample consisted of 116 patients (total group) in intensive care units (ICUs) distributed across Group 1 (G1), which was composed of 71 patients from an urgent-care hospital, and Group 2 (G2), which was composed of 45 patients from an emergency hospital. Clinical examinations showed dental alveolus with signs of recent exodontia in the upper and lower anterior regions. Sociodemographic data and the reason for intubation were evaluated. The Shapiro-Wilk normality test, chi-square test, Fisher’s exact test, Mann-Whitney U test, and univariate logistic regression were performed with a significance level of 5%.

Results

The avulsion prevalence was 4.3%, with more cases receiving emergency intubation (n=4). All avulsions occurred in adults, and a significant difference (p=0.011) was observed with regard to the elderly. A 1-year reduction in age increased the chance of tooth avulsion during intubation by 1.09 times; being female increased the chance by 2.88 times.

Conclusions

Pulmonary problems were the major causes of intubation, with the highest tooth avulsion prevalence observed during emergency intubation. The avulsed teeth were 11, 12, 13, 22, 32, and 33 across all cases.

Key words:Tooth avulsion, tooth injuries, intubation, intensive care units, emergencies.

Comparison of the Contact Force Exerted on Teeth by Conventional Macintosh Laryngoscope Versus Video Laryngoscopes

During laryngoscopy, the laryngoscope blade sometimes comes in contact with the teeth, fracturing or dislocating them. However, no studies have compared the effects of newly marketed video laryngoscopes and the Macintosh laryngoscope (Mac) on teeth. In this study, we measured and compared the force exerted on the teeth of an intubating manikin by the Mac, the Airway Scope (Pentax), and the McGrath MAC (Covidien). The mean force exerted was 141.1 ± 15.7 kg by the Mac, 39.2 ± 10.3 kg by the Airway Scope, and 48.7 ± 6.7 kg by the McGrath MAC. No significant difference was observed between the Airway Scope and the McGrath MAC. When the Mac is inserted, the glottis has to be visually located from outside the oral cavity. However, a significant force is not necessary when inserting video laryngoscopes because a camera is mounted on the blade tip. In this laboratory model, the lower force exerted by the video laryngoscopes should contribute to a reduction in their impact on fracture or dislocation of teeth.

Impact of Quantitative Feedback via High-Fidelity Airway Management Training on Success Rate in Endotracheal Intubation in Undergraduate Medical Students-A Prospective Single-Center Study

Endotracheal intubation is still the gold standard in airway management. For medical students and young professionals, it is often difficult to train personal skills. We tested a high-fidelity simulator with an additional quantitative feedback integration to elucidate if competence acquisition for airway management is increased by using this feedback method. In the prospective trial, all participants (n = 299; 4th-year medical students) were randomized into two groups—One had been trained on the simulator with additional quantitative feedback (n = 149) and one without (n = 150). Three simulator measurements were considered as quality criteria—The pressure on the upper front row of teeth, the correct pressure point of the laryngoscope spatula and the correct depth for the fixation of the tube. There were a total of three measurement time points—One after initial training (with additional capture of cognitive load), one during the exam, and a final during the follow-up, approximately 20 weeks after the initial training. Regarding the three quality criteria, there was only one significant difference, with an advantage for the control group with respect to the correct pressure point of the laryngoscope spatula at the time of the follow-up (p = 0.011). After the training session, the cognitive load was significantly higher in the intervention group (p = 0.008) and increased in both groups over time. The additional quantitative feedback of the airway management trainer brings no measurable advantage in training for endotracheal intubation. Due to the increased cognitive load during the training, simple airway management task training may be more efficient for the primary acquisition of essential procedural steps.

Dental injuries in relation to general anaesthesia-A retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Dental injuries may occur during general anaesthesia, especially during airway management. The aim of this study was to describe cases of dental injury related to general anaesthesia, focusing on the type and extent of the injuries as well as the timing of recognition.

METHOD

We reviewed the nationwide electronic database available at the Danish Patient Compensation Association and scrutinized all claims classified as possible dental injuries in relation to general anaesthesia between 2007 and 2017.

RESULTS

During the 10-year study period, there were 2523 claims for compensation related to anaesthesia. Of these, 552 (21.9%) were cases of possible dental injuries following general anaesthesia. The most commonly injured teeth were the central maxillary incisors with 174 (25.3%) cases related to the left and 118 (17.2%) cases related to the right incisor. The most common injuries were fractures (41.2%) and subluxations (25.9%). Airway management included the use of Macintosh laryngoscope in 296 (64.4%) cases and a supraglottic airway device in 69 (15%) cases. Claims were more frequently approved if more than two intubation attempts were used (100% vs 82.8%, RR = 0.83, 95% CI [0.78-0.88], P = 0.0037). Injuries recognized in-hospital were more frequently approved than injuries recognized after discharge (91.6% vs 70.7%, RR = 0.83, 95% CI [0.70-0.86], P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

The most commonly reported dental injury related to general anaesthesia in the Danish Patient Compensation Association database was a fracture. Claims were more frequently approved if more than two intubation attempts were used and if the injury was recognized in-hospital.

Dental injury in anaesthesia: a tertiary hospital's experience

BACKGROUND

Dental injury is a common perioperative complication, but there are no country specific data available, especially with the use of supraglottic airway devices (SAD). The aims of our study are to report the incidence, risk factors, and local practices in the management of perioperative dental injuries in Singapore.

METHODS

We analyzed data from the departmental database from 2011 to 2014, noting the anticipated difficulty of airway instrumentation, intubation grade, pre-existing dental risk factors, location of dental trauma discovery, position of teeth injured and presence of dental referral. The risk factors for dental trauma were then identified using logistic regression (between 51 dental trauma patients and 55,107 patients without dental trauma).

RESULTS

The rate of dental injury was 0.092% for general anaesthesia cases. The most significant patient risk factor is the presence of pre-existing dental risk factors (OR 12.55). Anaesthetic risk factors include McGrath MAC usage (OR 2.51) and a Cormack and Lehane grade of 3 or more (OR 7.25). Most of the dental injuries were discovered in the operating theatre. 7 (13.7%) patients had SAD inserted and only 23 (45.1%) cases were referred to dental services.

CONCLUSION

Videolaryngoscopy with the McGrath MAC is associated with an increased likelihood of dental injury. This could be either because videolarygoscopes were used when increased risk of dental trauma was anticipated, or due to incorrect technique of laryngoscopy. Future studies should be done to establish the causality. The management of dental injuries could be improved with development of departmental guidelines.

Mechanical strain to maxillary incisors during direct laryngoscopy

Background

While most Direct laryngoscopy leads to dental injury in 25–39% of cases. Dental injury occurs when the forces and impacts applied to the teeth exceed the ability of the structures to dissipate energy and stress. The purpose of this study was to measure strain, (which is the change produced in the length of the tooth by a force applied to the tooth) strain rate, and strain-time integral to the maxillary incisors and determine if they varied by experience, type of blade, or use of an alcohol protective pad (APP).

Methods

A mannequin head designed to teach and test intubation was instrumented with eight single axis strain gauges placed on the four maxillary incisors: four on the facial or front surface of the incisors and four on the lingual or back, near the insertion of the incisor in the gums to measure bending strain as well as compression. Anesthesiology faculty, residents, and certified registered nurse anesthetists intubated with Macintosh and Miller blades with and without APP. Using strain-time curves, the maximum strain, strain rate, and strain time integral were calculated.

Results

Across the 92 subjects, strain varied 8–12 fold between the 25th and 75th percentiles for all four techniques, but little by experience, while strain rate and strain integral varied 6–13 fold and 15–26 fold, respectively, for the same percentiles. Intubators who had high strain values with one blade tended to have high strains with the other blade with and without the APP (all pairwise correlation rho = 0.42–0.63).

Conclusions

Strain varies widely by intubator and that the use of the APP reduces strain rate which may decrease the risk of or the severity of dental injury.

Dental injury associated with anaesthesia: An 8-year database analysis of 592 claims from a major French insurance company

INTRODUCTION

Dental injury is the most common incident associated with anaesthesia. Regarding recent recommendations on informed consent and changes in airway management practices, a large series of claims related to dental injury has not been recently described. The aim of this study was to analyse a recent database in order to describe the characteristics of dental injury in France.

METHODS

A database that prospectively collected claims reported to Le Sou Médical-MACSF between January 2003 and December 2010, was analysed. Five hundred and ninety-two cases were reported. The following characteristics were analysed: number and type of teeth injured, mechanism of injury, anaesthetic procedure, risk factors and dental outcome after injury.

RESULTS

Amongst the 1514 claims related to anaesthesia, 592 (39.2%) were classified as dental damage. Preoperative informed consent concerning possible perioperative dental injury was documented in only 34.8% of patients. Only one tooth was affected in 65.2% of patients, dental bridge injury in 12.8% of cases and damage to two or more teeth in 14% of patients. Incisors were involved in 50% of cases. Fracture was the most common type of injury (64.2%). Poor dentition was the most common risk factor (23.1%) followed by difficult intubation (15.4%). Both risks were combined in only 7.6% of cases. Tracheal intubation was the highest risk procedure (41.6%).

CONCLUSION

Dental injury remains the most common anaesthesia-related claim. Dental examination and documentation in patient medical files requires improvement and better informed consent on dental injury risk needs to be provided to patients.

Claims for compensation after injuries related to airway management: a nationwide study covering 15 years

BACKGROUND

Securing the airway is one of the most important responsibilities in anaesthesia. Injuries related to airway management can occur. Analysis from closed claims can help to identify patterns of injury, risk factors and areas for improvement.

METHODS

All claims to The Norwegian System of Compensation to Patients from 1 January 2001 to 31 December 2015 within the medical specialty of anaesthesiology were studied. Data were extracted from this database for patients and coded by airway management procedures.

RESULTS

Of 400 claims for injuries related to airway management, 359 were classified as 'non-severe' and 41 as 'severe'. Of the severe cases, 37% of injuries occurred during emergency procedures. Eighty-one claims resulted in compensation, and 319 were rejected. A total of €1,505,344 was paid to the claimants during the period. Claims of dental damage contributed to a numerically important, but financially modest, proportion of claims. More than half of the severe cases were caused by failed intubation or a misplaced endotracheal tube.

CONCLUSION

Anaesthesia procedures are not without risk, and injuries can occur when securing the airway. The most common injury was dental trauma. Clear patterns of airway management that resulted in injuries are not apparent from our data, but 37% of severe cases were related to emergency procedures which suggest the need for additional vigilance. Guidelines for difficult intubation situations are well established, but adherence to such guidelines varies. Good planning of every general anaesthesia should involve consideration of possible airway problems and assessment of pre-existing poor dentition.

[Design and validation of an oral health questionnaire for preoperative anaesthetic evaluation]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Dental injuries incurred during endotracheal intubation are more frequent in patients with previous oral pathology. The study objectives were to develop an oral health questionnaire for preanaesthesia evaluation, easy to apply for personnel without special dental training; and establish a cut-off value for detecting persons with poor oral health.

METHODS

Validation study of a self-administered questionnaire, designed according to a literature review and an expert group's recommendations. The questionnaire was applied to a sample of patients evaluated in a preanaesthesia consultation. Rasch analysis of the questionnaire psychometric properties included viability, acceptability, content validity and reliability of the scale.

RESULTS

The sample included 115 individuals, 50.4% of men, with a median age of 58 years (range: 38-71). The final analysis of 11 items presented a Person Separation Index of 0.861 and good adjustment of data to the Rasch model. The scale was unidimensional and its items were not biased by sex, age or nationality. The oral health linear measure presented good construct validity. The cut-off value was set at 52 points.

CONCLUSIONS

The questionnaire showed sufficient psychometric properties to be considered a reliable tool, valid for measuring the state of oral health in preoperative anaesthetic evaluations.

Design and validation of an oral health questionnaire for preoperative anaesthetic evaluation

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Dental injuries incurred during endotracheal intubation are more frequent in patients with previous oral pathology. The study objectives were to develop an oral health questionnaire for preanaesthesia evaluation, easy to apply for personnel without special dental training; and establish a cut-off value for detecting persons with poor oral health.

METHODS

Validation study of a self-administered questionnaire, designed according to a literature review and an expert group's recommendations. The questionnaire was applied to a sample of patients evaluated in a preanaesthesia consultation. Rasch analysis of the questionnaire psychometric properties included viability, acceptability, content validity and reliability of the scale.

RESULTS

The sample included 115 individuals, 50.4% of men, with a median age of 58 years (range: 38-71). The final analysis of 11 items presented a Person Separation Index of 0.861 and good adjustment of data to the Rasch model. The scale was unidimensional and its items were not biased by sex, age or nationality. The oral health linear measure presented good construct validity. The cut-off value was set at 52 points.

CONCLUSIONS

The questionnaire showed sufficient psychometric properties to be considered a reliable tool, valid for measuring the state of oral health in preoperative anaesthetic evaluations.

Comparison of the C-MAC Videolaryngoscope and Rigid Fiberscope with Direct Laryngoscopy in Easy and Difficult Airway Scenarios: A Manikin Study

BACKGROUND

Intubation is a fundamental skill in maintaining adequate oxygenation and ventilation of seriously ill patients.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the C-MAC video laryngoscope and Bonfils intubation fiberscope with direct laryngoscopy in simulated easy and difficult airway scenarios.

METHODS

This was a prospective, randomized-controlled cross-sectional study. Thirty emergency medicine residents attempted to intubate a manikin using four progressively more difficult airway settings (normal airway [scenario 1], cervical spine immobilization [scenario 2], cervical spine immobilization + tongue swelling scenario [scenario 3], and cervical spine immobilization + tongue swelling + limited jaw opening scenario [scenario 4]) with both the C-MAC video laryngoscope and the Bonfils intubation fiberscope and direct laryngoscope.

RESULTS

In the first and the second scenarios, there were no statistically significant differences between the airway devices in terms of the duration of endotracheal intubation, the viewing duration of the glottic opening, and endotracheal tube insertion time. There was no statistically significant difference between the laryngoscopes in terms of the duration of endotracheal intubation and endotracheal tube insertion time in the third scenario. The overall success rates and the viewing duration of the glottic opening were shorter with the C-MAC and Bonfils in scenarios 3 and 4. Furthermore, the duration of intubation was better with Bonfils in scenario 4. The severity of dental trauma was lowest with the Bonfils in all scenarios. The device difficulty score was greatest with the Macintosh blade, except in the normal airway scenario. The most preferred airway device was the C-MAC.

CONCLUSION

The Bonfils and C-MAC enabled better visualization of the glottic opening when compared with the Macintosh laryngoscope.