The Future of Managing the Airway: Is Direct Laryngoscopy a Dying Art or Do Shifts Toward Video Laryngoscopy Result in Loss of Skills?

Video laryngoscopy (VL) has been traditionally thought of as reserved for difficult airways or as a rescue device after direct laryngoscopy fails to achieve intubation. However, as studies comparing the 2 continue to be churned out, favoritism toward VL may soon shift the standard of care. This article aims to explore the history of both briefly, review relevant studies, garner a scope of current airway management societal recommendations, and peer into what the future may hold for both methodologies of laryngoscopy to facilitate intubation.