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Relationship Between Glottic View and Intubation Force During Macintosh and Airtraq Laryngoscopy and Intubation
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

Relationship Between Glottic View and Intubation Force During Macintosh and Airtraq Laryngoscopy and Intubation

Bradley J. Hindman, Franklin Dexter, Benjamin C. Gadomski and Christian M. Puttlitz
Anesthesia and analgesia, Vol.135(4), pp.815-819
10/01/2022
DOI: 10.1213/ANE.0000000000006082
PMCID: PMC9481653
PMID: 35551148
url
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/9481653View
Open Access

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Because intubation-mediated cervical spine and spinal cord injury are likely determined by intubation force magnitude, understanding the determinants of intubation force magnitude is clinically relevant. With direct (Macintosh) laryngoscopy, when glottic view is less favorable, anesthesiologists apply greater force. We hypothesized that, when compared with direct (Macintosh) laryngoscopy, intubation force with an optical indirect laryngoscope (Airtraq) would be less dependent on glottic visualization. METHODS: Using data obtained in a prior clinical study, we tested whether the slope of the intubation force versus glottic view relationship differed between intubations performed in 14 patients who were intubated twice, once with a Macintosh and once with an Airtraq videolaryngoscope. Slopes were compared using least-squares linear regression and robust regression. RESULTS: The slope of the intubation force (N) versus glottic view (%) relationship with the Macintosh (-0.679 [standard error {SE}, 0.147]) was significantly more negative than that of the Airtraq (-0.076 [SE, 0.246]). The least-squares regression difference in slopes was -0.603 (SE, 0.287); P = .046. The robust regression difference in slopes was -0.747 (SE, 0.187); P = .0005. Thus, when compared with the Macintosh, intubation force magnitude with Airtraq laryngoscopy was less dependent on glottic visualization. CONCLUSIONS: Previously, we reported that intubation force with the Airtraq was less in magnitude compared with the Macintosh. Our current study adds that intubation force also is less dependent on glottic view with Airtraq compared with the Macintosh. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01369381
Intubation, Intratracheal / adverse effects

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