Comparing Four Video Laryngoscopes and One Optical Laryngoscope with a Standard Macintosh Blade in a Simulated Trapped Car Accident Victim

Clinically Preferred Videolaryngoscopes in Airway Management: An Updated Systematic Review

Videolaryngoscopes (VLs) have emerged as a safety net offering several advantages over direct laryngoscopy (DL). The aim of this study is to expand on our previous study conducted in 2016, to deduce which VL is most preferred by clinicians and to highlight any changes that may have occurred over the past 7 years. An extensive systematic literature review was performed on Medline, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Central Database of Controlled Studies for articles published between September 2016 and January 2023. This review highlighted similar results to our study in 2016, with the CMAC being the most preferred for non-channelled laryngoscopes, closely followed by the GlideScope. For channelled videolaryngoscopes, the Pentax AWS was the most clinically preferred. This review also highlighted that there are minimal studies that compare the most-used VLs, and thus we suggest that future studies directly compare the most-used and -preferred VLs as well as the specific nature of blades to attain more useful results.

Comparison of Endotracheal Intubation Skills With Video Laryngoscopy and Direct Laryngoscopy in Providing Airway Patency in a Moving Ambulance

BACKGROUND

Early and successful management of the airway in the prehospital and hospital settings is critical in life-threatening situations.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to perform endotracheal intubation (ETI) by direct laryngoscopy (DL) and video laryngoscopy (VL) on airway manikins on a moving track and to compare the properties of intubation attempts.

METHODS

Overall, 79 participants with no previous VL experience were given 4 h of ETI training with DL and VL using a standard airway manikin. ETI skill was tested inside a moving ambulance. The number of attempts until successful ETI, ETI attempt times, time needed to see the vocal cords, and the degree of convenience of both ETI methods were recorded.

RESULTS

Overall, 22 of 79 individuals were men; mean age was 30.3 ± 4.5 years. No difference was found in the comparison of the two methods (p = 0.708). Time needed to see the vocal cords for those who were successful in their first attempt were between 1 and 8 s in both methods. In the VL method, time needed to see the vocal cords (p = 0.001) and the intubation time (p < 0.001) in the first attempt were shorter than in the DL method. The VL method was easier (p < 0.001). The success rate was 97.5% in DL and 93.7% in VL.

CONCLUSIONS

The VL method is rapid and easier to see the vocal cords and perform successful ETI. Therefore, it might be preferred in out-of-hospital ETI applications.

The videoscopic view may not be significantly superior to the directly sighted peroral view during Macintosh-style videolaryngoscopy: a randomized equivalence cadaver trial

PURPOSE

Videolaryngoscopy is widely believed to give a superior view to that obtained by direct laryngoscopy. Published literature suggests this benefit extends to both hyper-angulated and Macintosh-style videolaryngoscopes. Notwithstanding, our clinical experience shows that the videoscopic view with a Macintosh-style videolaryngoscope is often no different or only marginally better than the directly sighted peroral view.

METHODS

A human cadaver equivalence study was performed in which four experienced laryngoscopists obtained pre-assigned laryngeal views by direct sighting using the single-use Macintosh blades of the GlideScope® Spectrum™ (GS) DirectView Macintosh (DVM) and C-MAC®S videolaryngoscopes. Blinded to the laryngoscopist's view, two independent observers rated the videoscopic view presented on the proximal video monitor at the same time. Directly sighted and videoscopic views obtained by the laryngoscopist and video scorers were recorded on a visual analogue scale (VAS) for each device as the primary outcome measures and compared.

RESULTS

On the VAS, the C-MAC®S videoscopic view revealed only approximately 0.9% more (99% confidence interval [CI], -2.5% to 4.3%) of the laryngeal inlet than the directly sighted view. Using GS DVM, the videoscopic view revealed 6.7% (99% CI, 2.3% to 11.0%) more of the laryngeal inlet than the directly sighted view. Although results for the GS DVM achieved statistical significance, neither device gave a clinically significantly improved videoscopic view compared with the directly sighted peroral view.

CONCLUSION

This study failed to corroborate previously published findings of a clinically significantly improved videoscopic view compared with direct peroral sighting using Macintosh-style videolaryngoscopes. Further study of this class of device is warranted in human subjects.