Utility of a Modified Oropharyngeal Airway for Performing Tracheal Intubation Using a Fiberoptic Bronchoscope and Video Stylet: A Randomized Crossover Trial Using a Manikin.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to assess if a modified airway (MA), developed by the authors, would act as a guide and improve the performance of intubation when used with a video stylet (VS) or fiberoptic bronchoscope (FOB) for endotracheal intubation.

METHODS

This randomized crossover simulation study using manikins was conducted with 36 novice operators. Time to complete intubation, time to see the glottis, and success rate of intubation of each device were measured and compared with or without use of MA.

RESULTS

For intubation using FOB with MA, the median time to complete intubation significantly reduced from 46 to 31 seconds with a medium effect size (p=0.004, r = 0.483), and the median time to see the glottis significantly reduced from 7 to 5 seconds with a medium effect size (p=0.032, r = 0.357). The overall success rate was not statistically different between FOB with MA (33/36, 91.7%) and FOB alone (31/36, 86.1%); however, the cumulative success rate over time for FOB with MA was higher than that for FOB alone (p=0.333). For intubation using VS, there were no differences in the time to see the glottis and time to complete intubation between VS with MA and VS alone (p=0.065 and p=0.926, respectively), and the cumulative success rate was not statistically significant (p=0.594).

CONCLUSION

Adjunct use of MA helped reduce time to complete intubation in FOB, but not in VS. If an inexperienced operator uses FOB, it would be helpful to use MA as an adjunct device.